1849 F. Myers & Co. Half Ounce - Copper, K-1

Coin Details

Description

The 1849 F. Myers & Company Half Ounce piece in copper is one of the most obscure and enigmatic items in the California territorial gold series. Almost nothing is definitively documented about the firm of F. Myers & Company, and the attribution of this piece to the California Gold Rush era rests primarily on its style, metallic characteristics, and the pattern of its discovery. The half-ounce denomination is unusual among California territorial issues, which typically employed standard dollar-based denominations such as five, ten, twenty, and fifty dollars. This copper specimen is clearly not a circulating gold coin but rather a trial striking, pattern, or a fantasy piece produced at a later date. The use of copper indicates either a die trial intended to test the quality of the engraving before committing gold to the press, or a deliberate non-gold production for some other purpose. The Kagin reference catalog assigns this piece the K-1 designation, acknowledging its existence within the broader California territorial gold framework while leaving open questions about its precise nature and authenticity. The extreme obscurity of F. Myers & Company raises questions that may never be fully answered. Some researchers have indicated the firm was a short-lived assaying operation that produced a very small number of coins or ingots before ceasing operations, while others have questioned whether any gold versions of this design were ever actually produced for circulation. Regardless of its exact status, the piece represents an intriguing footnote to the chaotic early months of private coinage in Gold Rush California.

Rarity Notes

Exceedingly rare and of undocumented status. This copper piece may be unique or known in only one or two examples.

Cross References

NGC ID 31367; Kagin K-1 (Half Ounce, Copper)