36.55 Dollars, California State Assay Office, United States, 1850
Object Details
- Description (Brief)
- One (1) 36.55 dollar ingot
- United States, 1850
- Obverse Image: N/A
- Obverse Text: F. D. KOHLER / STATE ASSAYER / SAC. / CAL. / 1850 / 20 CARAT / 42 DWT. / 12 GRS. / $36.55 CTS
- Reverse Image: N/A
- Reverse Text: F. D. KOHLER / STATE ASSAYER
- Description
- The discovery of gold in 1848 at Sutter’s Mill spurred a great wave of migration to California. Hundreds of thousands of people traveled to the territory from around the world to strike it rich. Fierce competition for mining stakes caused tensions among the gold seekers, and resulted in discriminatory actions toward Chinese people. Increasing competition and varied pricing for gold resulted in the creation of the Office of State Assayer, Melter, and Refiner of Gold by Governor Peter Burnett, which tested the ingredients of gold and produced ingots stamped with their value. Frederick D. Kohler, a jeweler and volunteer fire fighter from New York City, moved to California in 1849 and started a private assayer firm with David C. Broderick. When the State Assay Office was created, Governor Burnett appointed Kohler as California’s first and only State Assayer in 1850. Approximately 5,000 ounces of gold were deposited with Kohler on the first day that the State Assay Office opened, with larger quantities following including several counterfeit nuggets. Congress soon replaced the State Assayer Office with the United States Assayer Office in 1851.
- Credit Line
- Estate of Josiah K. Lilly
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
- date made
- 1850
- associated date
- 1850
- ID Number
- NU.68.159.1151
- accession number
- 283645
- catalog number
- 68.159.1151
- Object Name
- Coin
- ingot
- Physical Description
- gold (overall metal)
- 0 (overall die axis)
- 0 (overall die axis measurement)
- Measurements
- overall: 2.35 cm x 3.3 cm x .5 cm; 15/16 in x 1 5/16 in x 3/16 in
- place made
- United States: California
- place of issue
- United States: California
- See more items in
- Work and Industry: National Numismatic Collection
- Josiah K. Lilly Jr. Collection
- Many Voices, One Nation
- Exhibition
- Many Voices, One Nation
- Exhibition Location
- National Museum of American History
- Record ID
- nmah_1101602
