Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 62

The Pre-Long Beach Coin and Currency Auction

California Gold Ingot Bars

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 2415		Kellogg & Humbert Gold Ingot. #941. 104.47 ounces .853 Fine. $1842.12. This historic gold bar, measuring 112.43 mm height, 56.22 mm wide, 32.0 mm thick, is from the famous treasure recovered from the 1857 shipwreck of the S.S. Central America. The total number of ingots recovered from Kellogg & Humbert is 343 of which 69 were melted for production of the $50 Kellogg Commemorative Restrikes. This ingot is from Mold KH-04 and is plated on page 444 of Q. David Bowers' A California Gold Rush History featuring the treasure from the S.S. Central America. The impressive bar offers much in terms of overall eye-appeal. The entire surface is almost entirely brilliant with all of its original patina intact. The face is stamped with the weight, fineness, and face value, which are nicely centered and complete. The back side is marked a second time with the ingot's number, 941. The back features a shallow cooling depression at the center. There is one corner cut, as made for assay purposes, on the lower right corner. The bar is particularly sought-after since it is marked by the assayer, Kellogg & Humbert (some of the bars found with this shipwreck are not marked by the assayer.). Handling the $20 gold coins from this famous shipwreck is always a treat, but it is immeasurably more enjoyable to handle and offer at auction one of the fabulous gold ingots recovered from the S.S. Central America treasure. The opportunity to buy an incredibly fine specimen such as this, and a truly historic Western artifact with wide appeal, should not be missed. Between 1852 and 1857, the S.S. Central America was responsible for transporting approximately one third of the gold found during the California Gold Rush, amounting to an estimated $150 million. This bar was part of the ship's three-ton gold cargo that left Panama, en route for New York, on September 3, 1857, and was lost on September 11, 1857, when the ship sank during a hurricane off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. With the loss of the gold cargo, New York banks began to fail and businesses closed, causing a financial crisis, not only in the United States, but also in Europe. It was called "The Panic of 1857" Kellogg & Humbert were government-supervised assayers in San Francisco, but until the recovery of the wreck of the S.S. Central America in the 1980s, no bars by these important California Gold Rush participants were known. In fact, it is because Kellogg & Humbert were such important participants in the California Gold Rush history, that these bars best represent the California Gold Rush era. In addition, this bar is accompanied by a special leather bound edition of A California Gold Rush History plublished by The California Gold Marketing Group, #13 of 400. This massive edition features gold tipped pages with authentic 1857 gold dust from the S.S. Central America displayed inside the miner's pan on the inside cover. The value of this bar at the time of its issue would have purchased many city blocks in downtown Los Angeles or acreage in Beverly Hills. This bar will be the centerpiece and the conversation piece of your gold collection. Estimated Value $250,000 - 300,000. Ex: SS Central America. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 2416		S.S. Central American Cut Face Plate. From a Kellogg & Humbert Assayers Gold Bar.864 Fine; 195.33 oz. $3488.69 face value. Bar #734. The weight of this bar is 15.9 oz. and is housed in a custom plastic holder This original bar was cut down to produce the "commemorative restrikes" made in 2001 using transfer dies made from the original die and gold recovered from the S.S. Central America. See page 378 in the Official Red Book. Estimated Value $40,000 - 50,000. The William Pannier Estate. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $41,400
Lot 2417		Monumental Placer Gold Nugget 34.705 ozt. (983.6 gr.). 110.72 mm x 45. mm. A humongous gold nugget we fondly refer to as the "Fullerton Boulder" This is the largest gold nugget we have ever handled and is exceedingly rare. We note some tiny quartz crystals hidden in the crevices that adds even more character. The Fullerton Boulder represents one of the world's finest specimen nuggets and its color indicates a very high gold content. This treasure find should stir plenty of bidder interest Willie proudly displayed this huge nugget at his store for all who came to see. Although widely speculated as to where this specimen was found, Willie refused to tell anyone other than "from an undisclosed stream." Estimated Value $50,000-UP. Ex William "Willie" Pannier Collection. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 2418		CALIFORNIA Large Placer Gold Nugget 1.645 ozt. (51.1 gr.). 33.9 mm x 27.8 mm. River nuggets of this size are rare. Traces of quartz in the crevices. Reportedly taken from an undisclosed river in the Sierra Nevadas years ago. Estimated Value $2,000 - 2,500. The William Pannier Estate. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $2,530
Lot 2419		CALIFORNIA Large Placer Gold Nugget 1.6 ozt. (49.8 gr). 36.3 mm 24.7 mm. River nuggets of this size are rare. Reportedly taken from an undisclosed river in the Sierra Nevadas years ago. Estimated Value $2,000 - 3,000. The William Pannier Estate. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $2,415
Lot 2420		CALIFORNIA Large Placer Gold Nugget 1.465 ozt. (45.6 gr.). 35. mm x 23.8 mm. Traces of quartz arre noted in the crevices. River nuggets of this size are quite rare. Reportedly taken from an undisclosed river in the Sierra Nevadas years ago. Estimated Value $2,000 - 2,500. The William Pannier Estate. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $2,415
Lot 2421		CALIFORNIA Placer Gold Nugget 0.812 ozt. (25.3 gr.). 27 mm x 15.5 mm. Traces of quartz in the crevices. Reportedly taken from an undisclosed river in the Sierra Nevadas years ago. Estimated Value $1,250 - 1,750. The William Pannier Estate. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $1,500
Lot 2422		CALIFORNIA Placer Gold Nugget 0.480 ozt. (15. 0 gr.). 18.78 mm x 13.0 mm. A lovely oval shapped nugget. Reportedly taken from an undisclosed river in the Sierra Nevadas years ago. Estimated Value $600 - 800. The William Pannier Estate. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $748
Lot 2423		CALIFORNIA Placer Gold Nugget 0.34 ozt. (10.6 gr.). 17.7 mm x 21 mm. Reportedly taken from an undisclosed river in the Sierra Nevadas years ago. Estimated Value $500 - 700. The William Pannier Estate. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $630
Lot 2424		CALIFORNIA Placer Gold Nugget 0.30 ozt. (9.4 gr.). 16.7 mm x 17. mm. Signs of old polishing, probably a "lucky pocket piece." Reportedly taken from an undisclosed river in the Sierra Nevadas years ago. Estimated Value $400 - 500. The William Pannier Estate. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $483
Lot 2425		California Gold Dust. A vile of gold dust recovered from the streams in the Sierra Nevadas. Approximately 2 troy ounces. Estimated Value $2,500 - 3,000. The William Pannier Estate. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $3,220
Lot 2426		S.S. Central America Gold Dust. 1.5 grams in each PCGS gold label holder Each holder is numbered. Lot of 4 holders. Estimated Value $400 - 500. The William Pannier Estate. View details	Realized $575
Lot 2427		S.S. Central America Gold Dust. 1.5 grams in each PCGS gold label holder Each holder is numbered. Lot of 4 holders. Estimated Value $400 - 500. The William Pannier Estate. View details	Realized $575
Lot 2428		S.S. Central America Gold Dust. 1.5 grams in each PCGS gold label holder Each holder is numbered. Lot of 4 holders. Estimated Value $400 - 500. The William Pannier Estate. View details	Realized $633
Lot 2429		S.S. Central America Gold Dust. 1.5 grams in each PCGS gold label holder Each holder is numbered. Lot of 4 holders. Estimated Value $400 - 500. The William Pannier Estate. View details	Realized $633
Lot 2430		S.S. Central America Gold Dust. 1.5 grams. In a PCGS gold label holder marked Authentic #1000/1060. Estimated Value $100 - 125. The William Pannier Estate. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $150