PBA Galleries

60 pp. + leaf on Mormon coins. Steel-engraved frontispiece (untitled) of the U.S. Mint; leaf printed in gold on blue paper showing varieties of California and Mormon coins. 7x4½, original red paper over boards, front cover lettered in gilt with gilt-embossed depictions of 5 gold coins, both obverse and reverse for a total of 10 images, rear cover lettered in silver with silver-embossed depictions of 5 silver coins, both obverse and reverse for a total of 10 images; all edges gilt. First Edition.

Rare first edition of one of the most sought-after and most fragile books on gold coinage at the time of the California Gold Rush. Streeter calls the slender volume "An important reference book for the beginning of gold mining in California." Pages 21 to 31 describe four varieties of California gold coins issued from the following mints: "N.G. & N." of San Francisco, Oregon Exchange Company, Miners' Bank of San Francisco, and Moffat & Company of San Francisco; chapter IV is entitled "Gold from California." This copy unfortunately lacks the actual samples of California gold which should be underneath two small formica disks mounted on p.45; there is evidence of their removal. Cowan p.191; Kurutz 217a; Sabin 21786; Streeter 2629; Wheat Books 67.