Items which have sold or are otherwise no longer available have been moved to the Sold Items Archive

        Carson City

 

        U.S. Mint, Carson City

The following four bullion forms are gold bullion forms that were used at the Carson City Mint. They are not pre printed with the Mint's name, but rather, were a general form distributed throughout the Mint system. These three certificates are for gold bullion that was the product for Mazuma Hills Mining Co. at Mazuma, Nevada, just north of Lovelock. They are all signed by A.H. Martin.

        Carson City Mint Bullion Receipts

These receipts are among the most collectible of all receipts. Most are printed in blue for silver bullion, as one might expect. Gold bullion receipts, printed in red are much rarer. Collectors covet pieces signed by different employees of the mint.

RFG-720. Mint of the United States at Carson, NV 18-Apr 1890

No. 26 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by Chas. H. Peters at the Carson, Nevada Mint on 04/18/1887. Deposit is for a bar of 74.10 oz. Totaling $963.32. Signed by W. R. Davis for the Superintendent. No photograph.  From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. $300.

RFG-721. Mint of the United States at Carson, NV 8-Jun 1887

No. 39. Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by Chas. H. Peters at the Carson, Nevada Mint on 06/08/1887.  Deposit is for a bar of 14.95 oz. Totaling $182.82. Signed by W. R. Davis for the Superintendent. No photograph. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. $300.

RFG-722. Mint of the United States at Carson, NV 15-Nov 1887

No. 82 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by Chas. H. Peters at the Carson, Nevada Mint on 11/05/1887. Deposit is for a bar of 30.40 oz. Totaling $386.14. Signed by W. R. Davis for the Superintendent. No photograph. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. $300.

RFG-723. Mint of the United States at Carson, NV 27-Jan 1888

No. 6 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by Chas. H. Peters at the Carson, Nevada Mint on 01/27/1888. Deposit is for a bars of 10.9 oz. Totaling $147.27. Signed by W. R. Davis for the Superintendent. No photograph. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. $300.

RFG-724. Melter & Refiner’s Office, U. S. Mint, Carson, NV 21-Mar 1889

Melter & Refiner's Office: Items Required for Refinery Signed by A.H. Parker, Assistant Melter. Extremely Rare, probably R8. Internal documents from the Carson City Mint are all Extremely Rare. The few that survive today have been found as ancillary items in archives, or had the reverse used as notepaper, and inserted into an archive during the period. Extremely Fine. $750.

 

RFG-726. United States Mint, Carson City, NV 9-Jan 1897

No. 6 Memorandum of silver bullion deposited by Chinese Miner, Ah You. Here the miner deposited 11 ounces of amalgam worth only $13.00. Signed by A.G. Raycraft. Fine. $350.

RFG-727. United States Mint, Carson City, NV 2-Feb 1910

No. 645 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited, Mazuma Hill Mining Company. $250.

RFG-728. United States Mint, Carson City, NV 23-May 1910

No. 947 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited, Mazuma Hill Mining Company. $250.

RFG-729. United States Mint, Carson City, NV 9-Dec 1910

No. 529 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited, Mazuma Hill Mining Company. $250.

RFG-730. United States Mint, Carson City, NV 26-Apr 1917

No. 337 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited, Helen Betty Mining Company. This is a different form than the preceding, being a much more general form issued by the mint. This deposit was an ingot which was the product of the Helen Betty Mines Company at Seven Troughs, Nevada. The proceeds were credited to the account of the Mazuma Hills Mining Co., which may have owned the Helen Betty, or held a lien on their product. The form is signed by H. Martin. Very Fine. $100.

RFG-731. Carson City Mint Marked Photographic Shell Case. 1876.

2” Diameter silver plated copper shell case for a group of Watkin’s photographs dated 1876. The form of the date is through the use of an 1876 seated trade dollar, such that the top of the case is the obverse and the bottom of the case is the reverse. The reverse is marked with the Carson City Mint mark. The case is titled “Centennial Photographic Locket 1776-1876” and the reverse is entitled “Views of American Scenery & Interesting Subjects”

The case contains fourteen original, circular cut photographs by Watkins, all attached with a pink ribbon. The photographs are of California scenery in and around San Francisco and a few from the Calaveras Big Trees area. The inside of the top piece of the case says, “Photographic views of California scenery. Copied from Watkin’s celebrated negatives, the finest ever taken on this coast. This locket contains views of the Cliff House and surrounding scenery, also a fine photograph of Captain Foster, the popular proprietor, who has had charge of the Cliff House for many years. A view of the Palace Hotel, Nevada Bank and the mammoth trees of Calaveras Grove. Sold by Chilion Beach Bookseller and Stationer, 5 Montgomery Street, S.F.”

This rare shell case with photographs is certainly one of the rarest Carson City Mint collectibles. It was sold at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876 and the presence of the Carson City Mint mark is a testament to the popularity of the Carson City Mint at the time.  Very Fine. This is the only one of these pieces we have seen in thirty years. $3,750.

RFG-732. Carson City. Wells Fargo & Company Check, Carson City, NV 13-Jan 1862

No. 29 Check to William L. Dall signed by Nevada Territorial Governor, James W. Nye. William Dall was the owner Dall's Mill, one of the early Comstock Ore processing mills. Extremely Fine. $200.

RFG-733. Wells Fargo & Company Check, Carson City, NV 23-Jan 1862

No. 30 Check to Harrington and Kinkead signed by Nevada Territorial Governor, James W. Nye. Extremely Fine. No Phtotgraph. $200.

RFG-734. Wells Fargo & Company First of Exchange, Carson City, NV 6-Jan 1872

No. 367668 Exchange for $100 in gold to H.R. Rice, Agt, of the Canadian Bank of Montreal. Stamped by the Montreal Bank and signed by multiple parties on the reverse. .02 cent revenue stamp at top left. Damaged at edges, chips missing and fragile fold. Mounted under Plexiglass. 4.25 X 8.75”. R7. Extremely Rare. $400.

 

RFG-736. Carson City. Historic Mining Camps of Nevada (Ten Volumes) Carson City, NV 1969-1982

By Hugh A. Sahmberger, Bound volumes for years 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1982.  Corresponding titles of volumes to follow: Water Supply for the Comstock; Rawhide; Seven Troughs; Rochester; Fairview; Wonder; Weepah; Silver Peak; Candelaria and Its Neighbors; and Goldfield. No photograph.  $1,150.

RFG-737. Columbus. Holmes Mining Company Stock Certificate, Columbus, NV 13-Mar 1880

No. 399 Certificate Issued to W. E. Norwood for 250 shares signed by A.J. Holmes as President and E.A. Holmes as Sec. Printed by Bosqui. Datelined San Francisco. The Holmes Mine was next to the very rich and dividend paying Northern Belle Mine in the Columbus Mining District at the north end of Columbus marsh and just south of Candelaria. In 1882 the Holmes Company sued the Northern Belle for mineral trespass. The Holmes Company won a judgment for $360,000, at which point the Northern Belle declared bankruptcy. (Ref: Burchard 1884) Rare. Very Fine. $300.

 

RFG-742. Eureka. Assay Office of Richmond Mining Company, Eureka, NV 5-Mar 1880

The Richmond Mining Co. was one of two mega silver producers in Eureka. This assay sheet is an internal assay sheet for five high grade gold and silver samples. Printed by Eureka Leader. The form is probably a rarity R7. Very Good. $300.

 

        Gold Hill

For the Harvey Harris story and items, please see our Marysville, California section.

 

RFG-748. Gold Hill. Eugene Bittner & Co. Billhead, Gold Hill, NV Territory 1-Apr 1867

Extremely rare territorial imprinted billhead from Gold Hill printed on blue paper. Bittner sold the Bacon Mill some supplies. Very Fine. $175.

RFG-749. Gold Hill. Bullion Mining Company Stock Certificate, Gold Hill, NV 19-Sep 1887

No. 24255 Stock certificate for 100 share issued to S.B. Wakefield & Co. and signed by John E. Dickson, Vice President and R.R. Grayson, Secretary. Printed by Galloway, San Francisco Uncancelled. eight assessment stamps on the reverse. Encased in Pass-Co holder graded Extremely Fine. The Bullion Mining Company is perhaps most famously known as the first property that Mackie and Fair bought majority interest in. Located directly on the Comstock Lead between two major producing mine they assumed it would also become a major producer. Unfortunately no significant paying ore was ever found at the depths of the Bullion. $400.

RFG-750. Gold Hill. Exchequer Mining Company Stock Certificate, Gold Hill, NV 20-Oct 1865

No. 521 Stock certificate for 100 shares issued to A.C. Hill, Trustee. Printed by Britton & Company, San Francisco Curiously this is one of the mines left out by Couch & Carpenter. The mine was located in Gold Hill next to the Yellow Jacket. Very Fine. $1,500.

RFG-751. Gold Hill Assay Office, W.S. James Proprietor (four pieces) Gold Hill, NV 1886-1898

No.11 Assay receipt of payment in the amount of $15.75 for Savage Mining Company. Document signed by W.S. James, 1898. Three pages, one a voucher, numbered 11, from Savage Mining Company. This form of billhead for James is rare. Most of his billheads are very plain. This form has “bullion and ores” and “carefully assayed” in framed boxes at each upper corner. 2) $50 coin deposit that James made to his account in Carson City in 1886.  3) Half letter sheet from the Gold Hill Assay Office 8/1/1895, signed by James. 4) deposit of check from the Bank of California for $15,000, clearly indicating a large contract with the bank for assaying. The Gold Hill Assay Office was founded by Conrad Wiegand. James took over ownership after Wiegand's death, which was reportedly a suicide, though there were unusual, if not questionable circumstances leading up to and surrounding his death.  All are Extremely Fine. $325.

 

RFG-753. Gold Hill. Maynard & Flood, Bankers Check, Gold Hill, NV Territory 30-Sep 1863

No.117 Scarce check on Maynard & Flood, bankers at Gold Hill, Nevada Territory in 1863. This check is issued to George Loomis, and signed by Curtis Gray for the Imperial Silver Mining Co. $125.

 

RFG-757. Gold Hill Miners’ Union Blank Form. Goldhill, NV 190x

One page printed form from the Gold Hill Miners’ Union. This form is a notice stating: “You are hereby notified that you are in arrears fro Dues” . . . It is blank. Stains and corner folds. $75.

        Goldfield

 

RFG-759. Goldfield. Denver Assay Office, Goldfield, NV 21-Jun 1906

No. 721 #1 Assay certificate. This Denver Assay Office form is signed by the Assayer P. Jubien, who apparently took over the firm previously owned by George (illegible) and F. Jeffery. The name “Denver Assay Office' may have been used because of the close association of Cripple Creek and Colorado Miners with the Goldfield, Nevada gold rush. This piece was issued seven months before the major consolidation took place by the formation of Goldfield Consolidated. Very Fine. $125.

RFG-760. Goldfield. Florence-Goldfield Mining Company & Western Ore Purchasing Company Packing Slip and Purchase Order, Goldfield, NV 1-Oct 1908

No. 915 This lot is for a Western Ore and Purchasing Company purchase order bought of Florence Goldfield Mining Co. Lot No. 915, referencing mine lot #104 for six wagon loads of gold ore. The total value of the purchase order is $6516.33. It is signed by Chas Snyder. The lot also includes a packing slip from Florence-Goldfield Mining Company, signed by David D. Dewey for the same order. The Florence was one of the richest mines in Goldfield located right in the gut of the District. Both documents are printed on very thin paper and are Extremely Fine. $200.

RFG-761. Florence-Goldfield Mining Company & Western Ore Purchasing Company Packing Slip and Purchase Order, Goldfield, NV 1-Oct 1908

No. 913 This lot is for a Western Ore and Purchasing Company purchase order bought of Florence Goldfield Mining Co. Lot No. 913, referencing mine lot #103 for six wagons of gold ore, 12.3 oz. The total value is $8239.84. It is signed by Chas Snyder. The accompanying packing slip is from Florence-Goldfield Mining Company signed by David D. Dewey for the same order. Both documents are printed on very thin paper and are Extremely Fine. $200.

 

        Hamilton

 

        Marietta

 

        Pioche

 

RFG-768. Assay Office of John Cahill (second of two duplicate items) Pioche, NV 1-Jan 1874

Receipt for twenty assays of ore from the Pioche Phoenix Silver Mining Company. Good Condition. $350.

RFG-769. Pioche. Meadow Valley Mining Company Exchange, Pioche, NV 2-Jun 1876

No. 11 Receipt for $25.00 received as payment for assessment No.11 of $1 per share on 25 shares of capitol stock. This is one of the most important mining companies in the Pioche area. Extremely Fine. $150.

        Pioneer

 

        Rawhide

RFG-771. Rawhide. Souvenir of Rawhide, Nevada's Great Gold Camp, 1908

This is an original copy of the well known Rawhide pictorial book that was later reprinted. There are 44 pages of illustrations of Rawhide including town scenes and mines, etc. There is one large fold out panorama in the back. Original copies of this are Exceptionally Scarce. Fine. $1,500.

        Rhyolite

        Rhyolite Clearing House Certificates

This group was part of a small group that included a number of California pieces also found in this catalog. Until this small collection surfaced, only a few examples existed. All of these notes are still very high in rarity R7 or R8.

 

RFG-773. Rhyolite Clearing House Certificate, Rhyolite, NV 30-Nov 1907

Series D printed on rust colored paper with brown safety print and brown under print of vignette. Certificate states, “Securities having been deposited with the Clearing House Committee of the Associated Banks of Rhyolite, Nev, this Certificate will be accepted by the said Banks for the sum named. Bullfrog Bank & Trust Co. John S. Cooke & Co. The First National Bank of Rhyolite” Not signed. $1.00.  Printed by Britton & Rey, San Francisco. Graded by PMG Choice Unc 64. $2,500.

 

RFG-776. Rhyolite Clearing House Certificate, Rhyolite, NV 30-Nov 1907

Series B printed on blue paper with blue safety print and blue under print of vignette. Certificate states, “Securities having been deposited with the Clearing House Committee of the Associated Banks of Rhyolite, Nev, this Certificate will be accepted by the said Banks for the sum named. Bullfrog Bank & Trust Co. John S. Cooke & Co. The First National Bank of Rhyolite” Not signed. $10.00. Printed by Britton & Rey, San Francisco. Graded by PMG Gem Unc 65. $3,000.

 

RFG-778. Rhyolite Clearing House Certificate (two of two duplicate pieces) Rhyolite, NV 30-Nov 1907

Series C printed on orange paper with orange safety print and dark orange under print of vignette certificate states, “Securities having been deposited with the Clearing House Committee of the Associated Banks of Rhyolite, NV, this Certificate will be accepted by the said Banks for the sum named. Bullfrog Bank & Trust Co. John S. Cooke & Co. The First National Bank of Rhyolite” Not signed. $20.00.  Printed by Britton & Rey, San Francisco. Graded by PMG Gem Unc 65. $3,000.

RFG-779. Tonopah Extension Mining Company Assay Office, Tonopah, NV 20-Jun 1911

No. 398-411 Assay report for 14 bullion bars and scrap. Signed by B.E. Elford, Assayer. The bullion from this assay ran about .940 fine. This was one of the major mines at Tonopah. Good Condition. $75.

 

 


[1] 1863 Directory of Nevada Territory. The “Buena Vista” name was only used briefly. It gave way to the more popular “Unionville.”

[2] 1862 Territorial Census

[3] He is not listed in 1865 works.

[4] Humboldt Register 5/23/1863

[5] 6/20/1863 and 5/23/1863 Humboldt Register,

[6] 5/2/1863 Humboldt Register

[7] Humboldt Register 5/16/1863

[8] P444.

[9] Vol VIII, No. 8, Feb. 20, 1864, p115

[10] Gillis; Directory of Storey (and other) Counties, Nevada; 1868. Schultze is not listed in the 1871 Pacific Coast Business Directory published by Langley.

[11] During the course of research for this paper, numerous misspellings of the Bousfield surname were found for the same people. These include: Bousfield, Bowsfield, Bowsefield, Bonsefield. From this data, it may be surmised that the correct pronunciation of this surname is “Bowsfield”.

[12] Jackson, W. T.; Treasure Hill; 1963, p166.

[13] Raymond, R.; Mines and Mining West of the Rocky Mountains; 1870, p155

[14] Raymond, R.; Mining Statistics West of the Rocky Mountains; 1871, p155. Please note- the pagination here is correct. It is a coincidence.

[15] The ingot weighs 3.15 Troy ounces, and measures about 1” x 2” x 0.5”. Three small holes were drilled, one on the back, and one on each end for what appears to have been an elevated mount position, possibly for a glass case.

[16] The lone exception is the Nevada Census of 1870, in which the current internet records incorrectly transcribed the official US Census, and show him as white.

[17] The historical record is obscured by the presence of at least three different Robert H. Smalls born in Maryland or Philadelphia over the same approximate decade.

[18] He had seven children according to census data, Sarah born 1863, Magdalin born 1865, Mary born 1868, Adelaide born 1870, Cora born 1872, Baranchia born 1877 and Joseph, born 1873. Saunders died sometime before 1900. His wife Sarah had remarried by then to Thomas Shorter, nearly twenty years her senior.

[19] Maryland Soldiers in the Civil War Vol. 2 web site.

[20] Graham, LeRoy; Baltimore, The Nineteenth Century Black Capital; University Press of America; 1982; pp206-224. Also Foner, Eric; Freedom’s Lawmakers: A Directory of Black Officeholders During Reconstruction; LSU Press; 1996; pp189-190. Mr. Randy Lieberman kindly helped with the research on Saunders.

[21] Sioli; History of El Dorado County; 1883; p199-201. Also Gudde; California Gold Camps; 1975, p317.

[22] The only mention of any Small surname in Paolo Sioli’s History of El Dorado County is for Small’s (station) on the road to the Alpine mining districts near the summit, 64.05 miles from Placerville.)

[23] The Western Historical Quarterly, Vol. 11, No. 1, January, 1980, pp57-68. Purchased at a fee with internet download, a great service.

[24] Elevator, 2/5/1869

[25] Rusco, p148.

[26] Johnson, Leigh; “Equal Rights and the Heathen Chinee: Black Activism in San Francisco, 1865-1875” in the Western Historical Quarterly, v11, No.1, January, 1980, pp57-68. Rusco, p149.

[27] Rusco, p149.

[28] Rusco, p148.

[29] Proceedings of the Colored National Labor Convention held in Washington, D. C. on December 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th, 1869. Printed by the New Era, 1870, Washington, 46 pages.

[30] Territorial Enterprise, April 9, 1870; Rusco, Elmer, Good Time Coming; Black Nevadans in the Nineteenth Century, 1975.

[31] Rusco, p 148. Langley, San Francisco Directory, various years in the 1860’s and 1870’s consulted. Hall and Small are shown as the local delegates on page 34 of the Convention proceedings.

[32] Some African-American web sites discuss an attendance of up to 214 attendees, but do not back up the statement published in the Convention proceedings, which was the source of the statement that less than half of the delegates showed up.

[33] 1870 Nevada Census.

[34] The business is well discussed in Rusco’s Good Time Coming, and readers are referred there for more information.

[35] Johnsen, p60, from the Sacramento Bee, April 11, 1865.

[36] It is important to note that Small’s speech was noted in a single entry on a 3x5” index card in the Territorial Enterprise index at the Nevada Historical Society. It was amazing to me that it had never been quoted. When I called for the microfilm, I found out why. The film of that specific page was shot completely out of focus, such that all that is readable is Small’s name at the end of the article. No wonder Rusco and others never saw it. I found the only existing physical copy at the University of Nevada Reno Special Collections Library and read it there. The papers were a gift of Clarence Mackay, son of Comstock miner and mine financier John W, Mackay.

[37] Crocker; Sacramento City Directory; The following years were consulted: 1873, 1875, 1876, 1878, 1888, 1889.

[38] Suffolk County PR 37379, 149:70

[39] History of Northern California, p276 Lewis Publishing, 1891. Much of this is repeated in Cross, and may have been Cross’ source.

[40] Cross, Financing an Empire. 1927. Also Winther, O.; Via Western Express Stagecoach; 1945, p51-2

[41] Wiltsee, E.; The Pioneer Miner and Pack Mule Express, 1931 (1976 edition), p103

[42] See Owens, D.; California Coiners and Assayers, 2000, p102

[43] McDonald, Doug; in Rare Coin Review, Spring 1987 and others (FH manuscript); Owens, D.; California Coiners and Assayers; 2000.

[44] The letters are at the Bancroft Library. See Owens.

[45] FW Blake is lsted in Carson City in the 1862 Territorial Census. No occupation

[46] 10/20/1861 Carson City Silver Age.

[47] Much is written by Sam Clemens of their Unionville forays. See Roughing It.

[48] See Owens, California Coiners and Assayers.

[49] Humboldt Register, May 23, 1863

[50] See also McDonald.

[51] 5/16/1863 Humboldt Register, p1, column 3.

[52] From the F. W. Blake Correspondence, Golconda, Nevada and Silver City, Idaho, c 1867-1870.

[53] From Holabird’s unpublished manuscript onGorham Blake as part of the Georgia Gold Rush.

[54] Same

[55] 9/30/1876 Territorial Enterprise 2:3

[56] Our assayer is not the same Conrad Wiegand that is present in the 1840 and 1854 Philadelphia Directories, working as a cabinet maker. Conrad Wiegand is not listed in any American census except 1870, when he shows up as a resident of Virginia City, and his name is misspelled. Using all other of the usual permutations of his surname, there is absolutely no record of him in Philadelphia or anywhere else before this. An argument can be made that he may have returned to Germany. Whether Conrad the assayer was born in Philadelphia, or one of the German States is presently unknown. Current evidence points to the idea that he and his family may have returned to their homeland to one of the German States in the 1840’s during a serious period of political upheaval. In 1848 there was a revolution that lasted almost two years. The revolutionaries demanded better working conditions, democratic ideals, freedom, and a removal of the traditional political structure. The revolution failed, and many left the German States for better living conditions and were in flight of persecution.  Many fellow countrymen permanently left their homeland, and a number of the Wiegand family landed in the US and began new lives in Philadelphia. Conrad may have been one of the revolutionary forces – an outspoken and boisterous young man who moved to avoid persecution.

The fact that Conrad Wiegand is missing from significant parts of the historical record indicates to the author that he was hiding from something. Missing one Census is one thing. But missing every Census during a lifetime except one is more than a mistake or anomaly. Conrad is not listed in the 1847 McElroy’s Philadelphia Directory (p.373), nor are a number of the Wiegand family that are listed in 1851 (McElroy’s Directory). These other men with the same surname are also absent from the Census data. No attempt was made to locate actual birth records in Philadelphia. More research is needed, but the evidence that the Wiegand family may have been involved in the German States revolution is a real possibility.

Conrad Wiegand is a common name, and others with this name, particularly a cabinetmaker, were present in Philadelphia at the same time, but are not the same person.

[57] 9/30/76 TE

[58] Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, letter to Lincoln from Stevens, Feb 28, 1862, p2. Wiegand was not found in any Philadelphia Directory nor any New York Directory of the period. The New York Assay Office was established in 1853, and there is a slight chance that Stevens’ reference to Wiegand’s work there was during a short period of late 1853 to early 1854.

[59] Unfortunately, little of the latter information can be reconciled in the historical record. The information comes from a series of letters in the Lincoln Papers, and an interview published in the Territorial Enterprise as noted previously.

[60] It is not known if this pamphlet still exists. It was reported in several news articles.

[61] This is the inference made in a letter from Superintendant Stevens to President Lincoln, Feb. 28, 1862.

[62] American Almanac and Reporters of Useful Knowledge for the year 1856; Boston, 1855, p217.

[63] James P. Casey, editor of the Sunday Times, was one of many men aligned by newspaper editor (the Bulletin) James King of William. Casey assassinated the editor and was subsequently hung by the Vigilance Committee. It was James King of William’s brother Thomas Star King that got Wiegand appointed as Assayer at the Gould & Curry Mill awhile later. Wiegand’s pamphlet was entitled “Dr. Scott, The Vigilance Committee and the Church, San Francisco, 1856”; Los Angeles Westerners, 1971, p12.

[64] True and Minute History of the Assassination of James King Of William at San Francisco, Cal…1856, Towne & Bacon printers, page 23.

[65] Bancroft; History of California; 1890, v7.

[66] Could also have been a related department. Mars is probably the same as J. A. Mars, who later was a partner in the California Assay Office. In the Lincoln Papers, the name is spelled “Marz”.

[67] Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Feb. 10, 1862, 2pp. The actual response is unknown.

[68] This period of the Branch Mint’s history needs more research.

[69] There are other notes in the Lincoln Papers regarding Wiegand from April, 1861.

[70] Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Stevens to Lincoln Feb 28, 1862

[71] Lincoln Papers, June 30, 1862; April 20, 1863;  May 2, 1863;  and Dec. 14, 1863

[72] The Gould & Curry Bonanza was the primary driving force for the emigration of Welsh, Scottish and Irish mine workers. The First and Second Directories of Nevada Territory show the impact of the Gould & Curry in the listings of residents who worked for the Company.

[73] Janin is considered one of the great mine superintendents of the nineteenth century. He was second to none in his accomplishments on the Comstock.

[74] Territorial Enterprise (TE) article 9/30/1876. Brother of James King, of William, assassinated in 1856.

[75] Letter from Janin to Bull 1/22/1866, Nevada Historical Society. Note: the average bullion bars shipped by the G&C at this time were $1200 to $1500 each. Processing ore at custom mills was a normal process in the first decade of production on the Comstock. The expensive Gould & Curry Mill was the first major mill built exclusively for a single mine on the Comstock. Ores had been shipped to custom mills in 1863 while the “bugs” were being worked out of the G&C Mill, but once operational, Janin was reluctant to go back to the old custom mill system.

[76] TE 5/14/1865 appeared an add for Wiegand, “New Today”

[77] Rickard had moved to Virginia City from Helena, Montana. In 1865 he set up an assay office in the Truckee Meadows near where Reno would later be located. He later moved to Tombstone and other western mining camps.

[78] There is also the possibility that Wiegand was unable to secure the mine contracts for assaying their ores and bullion right away, thus the procurement of a partner may have been premature. The insolvency was reported in the Gold Hill News 1/2/1866.

[79] This episode was recounted in the Peoples Tribune and reprinted in the Territorial Enterprise and in Roughing It.

[80] Owens, D.; California Coiners and Assayers; 2000.

[81] 1/14/68 TE; 2/27/68 TE

[82] There are many comments about Wiegand by his friends, particularly after the Winters incident and after his death. Most were published in local newspapers, as well as in Roughing It,  the Doten Journals and elsewhere.

[83] This was probably about a 25 troy ounce ingot. The average fineness of most of the Comstock silver ingots was about 855 to 900 fine silver, and about 040 fine gold, with some copper as an impurity. The Inscription here is purposefully left out. Mark Twain Letters, Volume 2, p261.

[84] The Ford Collection (of ingots) was sold in October, 2007 by Stack’s in New York City.

[85] Lingenfelter, Gash; Newspapers of Nevada; 1984, p99

[86] 1/14/70 Territorial Enterprise. (TE)

[87] The term referred to is a pocket weapon made of rawhide, tightly woven. It was a weapon that today is known as a “billyclub.” The details of the attack can be found in Roughing It, Appendix C, 1872.

[88] Territorial Enterprise, 1/18/1870. It must be noted here that this incident, a major event on the Comstock, was curiously and quietly omitted from nearly all of the great contemporary works such as Elliott Lord’s Comstock Mining and Miners, Dan Dequille’s Big Bonanza and others.

[89] TE 7/6/1870

[90] Twain, M.; Roughing It, Appendix C; 1872.

[91] 8/27/73 TE, 2:2 and 2:4.

[92] 7/21/1876, 9/30/1876 Territorial Enterprise

[93] 7/24/1874 3:1 Territorial Enterprise (TE)

[94] TE 12/26/73

[95] TE 10/2 /77

[96] TE 6/15/80

[97] Davis, S.; History of Nevada; 1912, p479-80