1860 Clark, Gruber & Co. $5. K-2. Rarity-4. AU-50 (PCGS).
A bold and partially lustrous example of this rare territorial issue. Vivid khaki-gold patina dominates the complexion, with warmer honey shades accenting the borders. The surfaces are overall well-composed with no singularly mentionable abrasions or spots. The most significant of the private minting firms servicing the Colorado Gold Rush of the late 1850s and early 1860s, Clark, Gruber & Co. produced $2.50, $5, $10 and $20 coins in 1860 and 1861. The company eventually issued $594,305 in gold coins, which became the principal currency of the Pike's Peak region during the height of the gold rush. The gold from which this half eagle is struck was from nearby mines in the alluvial streams in and around the city of Denver, as well as from ravines and elsewhere in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains to the immediate west. As a well defined survivor of the initial Clark, Gruber & Co. $5 issue, the coin offered here is a significant reminder of a lesser-known chapter in the history of the American frontier.
PCGS# 10136.
From the Mocatta Collection.