1849 COPPER Territorial MASS CALIF C K-2b GILT $5 NGC AU Details

Rare Massachusetts and California $5 Die Trial
Gilt Copper

1849 Massachusetts & California Co. $5 Die Trial. K-2B Gilt. Rarity-7+. Gilt Copper. Reeded Edge. AU Details--Reverse Damage (NGC).
A small dig, likely a crude test mark, is seen at the lower left just within the wreath. The surfaces have a soft golden luster, while close inspection reveals a light microporosity. This is one of the Massachusetts and California Co. styles that are considered originals, as opposed to the variants thought to be early 20th century products made by or for Stephen Nagy. Struck by the same dies used for the silver example in our recent offering of the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, Part XXIV. Remarkably, the extensive collection of pieces from this issuer in our 1982 sale of Henry Clifford Collection which included 14 pieces, did not have a gilt copper example from these dies, though impressions from them were represented in both silver and copper. An interesting piece from this hopeful firm, that apparently never made it into full operation in the State of California.
From the Dr. Dexter Seymour Collection. Earlier from our (Stack's) sale of September 1977, lot 1716.

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