1850 Norris, G & N, Stockton Gold Half Eagle

Coin Details

Description

This is the 1850 Norris, Gregg & Norris five-dollar gold piece naming STOCKTON instead of San Francisco. Norris, Gregg & Norris were New York engineers in the iron pipe and steam fitting trade (Thomas H. Norris, Charles Gregg and Hiram A. Norris). On May 31, 1849 the Alta California described a five-dollar gold piece with their stamp, coined at Benicia City though it names San Francisco, and Adams took it for the first private coin to circulate in California. One side shows an eagle with a shield bearing 5 and CALIFORNIA GOLD WITHOUT ALLOY; the other has N.G.&N., SAN FRANCISCO and the date inside a ring of stars, with FULL WEIGHT OF HALF EAGLE around the border. Three pieces assayed at the Philadelphia Mint were .870 to .892 fine. Catalogue number: K-5. PCGS number 10285.

Cross References

K-5