1849 California $5 Gambling Token at pounded out site.

[matt092079]

It will be coming up on a year that we have been pounding this Colonial/1800's site and I thought I would give this site another go before I totally give up on it. It was hard going at first. First good signal early on was the bullet...not sure on type. Maybe a fired spencer, but doesn't really look like most spencers I dig. I basically walked and scouted out the entire perimeter. The middle of it is mostly briars and trees, can't hunt it to say the least. As I got closer to the road it cleared out some and I worked on the other side of this driveway. Last year on the other side of the driveway I found several bullets, large cent, half dime and a few other relics. I figured they had to come through to the other side of the drive and not just stop there. I worked the area and close to this big tree, I get a nice signal, but read as a shotgun shell and trust me I had already had a pouch full of those. But to my surprise it wasn't! I knew I had a token of some sort, but not sure what kind. Texted a pic to my cousin and he looked it up and told me some info on it. Apparently there are modern knock offs of these from what I've learned, but I'm pretty certain just based on location and patina that this is of period. From what I gathered they were struck in the 1850's and were used in lieu of gold coins in games of chance; i.e. gambling. They are brass and the same size as a $5 gold coin of the time period. Pretty cool find indeed and definitely saved my trip out! Other than the beautiful 60 degree weather that is! Thanks for looking and HH!

 

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[BuckleBoy]

Wonder what that was doing all the way back east. Great find!

-Buck

 

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[Steve in PA]

Really cool token Matt, nice shape too! I would love to find one of those.

 

[VERMONTPACKRAT]

Your soil was kind to that one! Cool Token


VPR

 

[matt092079]

Very cool find matt. That is unique and something you dont see found often!

Thanks, Dan! I know. Cool things about these kinda tokens...you'll see more spanish cobs, gold coins and other types of coins posted more than these things. HH

 

[matt092079]

Wonder what that was doing all the way back east. Great find!

-Buck

I wondered the same thing. I'm glad it did though! HH

 

[Nooberz]

Great find there! Not everyday you see one of them posted.

 

[matt092079]

Thanks.

 

[surf]

Hello Matt,

Thanks for the great photos of a fabulous find. Outstanding! I've never seen one, and know nothing about them, so get ready for a coupla dumb questions, ok.

Do'ya think they had a semi-official value in the $5 neighborhood? Who would have made these? The coolness factor is off the charts, as far as I'm concerned, then or now.

Banner find in my untrained eyes, sir.

 

[detroitdigger]

Cool token and bullet as well.

 

[matt092079]

Hello Matt,

Thanks for the great photos of a fabulous find. Outstanding! I've never seen one, and know nothing about them, so get ready for a coupla dumb questions, ok.

Do'ya think they had a semi-official value in the $5 neighborhood? Who would have made these? The coolness factor is off the charts, as far as I'm concerned, then or now.

Banner find in my untrained eyes, sir.

Thank you and I wish I had more info on this token. I've searched and searched but have come up pretty empty handed other than they were made in the 1850's and were used strictly for gambling purposes. They were in lieu of gold coins when the real deal wasn't available I believe. Thanks for the kind words and banner nod. HH

 

[Joshr29]

Here is some more info for you from an older thread back in 09. Someone else found one then. Hope this helps. HH

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/146895-1849-california-coin.html

 

[matt092079]

Thank ya, Josh. I saw that thread in my many searches. lol

 

[kuger]

they may have been worth $5 ,as $5 was not worth a whole lot here during the "rush",an ounce of gold was $18,and a nice breakfast at a restraunt could be 2 ounces,a pair of boots was an ounce,a pick the same.Thats why so many went home broke....even the ones that found some gold.......the merchants were the ones that got rich.The miners worked hard,lived rough and went poor just to survive.Pretty sad,to read the journals....rough go,for sure!!

 

[Joshr29]

Thank ya, Josh. I saw that thread in my many searches. lol

I see what you mean about finding any info. I devoted about an hour to it. Everything is pretty vague. I'd like to know who produced it. Still an awesome find though and yours is in much better shape than all the ones for sale that I saw.

 

[Joshr29]

Ok, feel free to tell me if I'm being useless lol but how bout this one.

http://holabirdamericana.com/HKA_Auctions_Current/PDF/Golden West/10 sessionC - mining ephemera.pdf

Seems to have quite a bit more info on your token and many others like it. You probably saw this one too lol but I'm tryin. HH

 

[matt092079]

I didn't see this one. Thanks, Josh. Pretty cool find if I do say so myself. lol

 

[Joshr29]

No problem. I thought that it was really cool that your coin among some others were directly responsible for the US making a law about coins not being able to look too much like the real thing. That is why they had to put a miner on the back among other things. Once again, great find and I look forward to seeing many more! HH

 

[NJLargeCent]

Sure is in great condition. That token travelled a long way to get to you, which adds to its mystique. Well done!

 

[matt092079]

Thanks guys.

 

[Don in SJ]

Another super find posted on TNet, this post picqued my interest since I have in my possesion a coin/medal/token collection that I am cataloging for a friend and included in it is one of these tokens along with several other Gaming Tokens.
I too researched late last year and concluded the token was most likely struck at the same place as the German Spiel Marke gaming tokens. I also think they were used here on the East Coast amongst the Spiel Marke tokens.
I have seen three posted over the years and all were found east of the Mississippi. I think the connection with California is just to commemorate in a way the gold rush as a gaming token just like the most other gaming tokens also mimic other gold coins not associated with the gold rush.
The reverse of the token with the miner is without a doubt a very special design!

Don