1849 Massachusetts & California Co. Five Dollar - Copper, K-5b

Coin Details

Description

The K-5b copper striking of the 1849 Massachusetts & California Company five-dollar piece is a product of the fifth identified die pairing in the firm's half eagle series. The K-5 dies represent an additional combination beyond the already substantial number of die pairs documented for M&C's five-dollar production, further demonstrating the complexity of this operation's production history. Struck in plain copper without gilding, this piece displays the characteristic M&C half eagle design elements with the detail quality typical of copper strikings, generally sharp and well-defined as copper's flow properties under striking pressure produce excellent impression of die detail. The extensive die variety sequence for M&C five-dollar pieces, spanning at least five major die pairings with multiple metal variants each, indicates a more complex production history than the firm's brief tenure might imply. Multiple die pairings could result from die breakage, deliberate modification, extended production over time, or the creation of dies at different periods for the restrike and fantasy market.

Rarity Notes

Rare. K-5b copper specimens are scarce. The K-5 die pairing is among the later-identified varieties in the M&C series.

Cross References

K-5b (Kagin). Massachusetts & California Co. $5 copper, die pair 5.