1856 Blake & Co., Copper Gold Double Eagle

Coin Details

Auction Record

$97,750 VF 10-01-2007 Stack's

Description

The 1856 Blake & Company Double Eagle in copper is an off-metal striking of this remarkably late California territorial gold issue. Blake & Company occupies a unique position in the chronology of private gold coinage in California, as their 1856 issues were produced well after the San Francisco Mint commenced operations in 1854. While most private coiners ceased operations once the federal mint provided a reliable source of officially guaranteed coinage, Blake & Company apparently found sufficient demand to justify continued production of their twenty dollar pieces. This copper specimen lacks the gold content of its circulating counterpart and was produced as a die trial, pattern piece, or presentation striking. Copper was the standard medium for trial strikings in the nineteenth century, as it was inexpensive, readily available, and soft enough to receive sharp impressions from dies without excessive wear on the steel. Die trials allowed the coiner to inspect the quality of the engraving and make adjustments before committing precious gold to the striking process. The design of the Blake & Company double eagle reflects a level of sophistication somewhat above the crude productions of the earliest California territorial coiners. By 1856, private minting operations had access to better equipment and more skilled die cutters than the improvised facilities of 1849, and the Blake & Company pieces show a competent if not elegant execution. The survival of copper trial strikings from this firm provides important documentation of their manufacturing capabilities and production methods.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare. Copper trial strikings of the Blake & Co. Double Eagle are among the scarcest of all California territorial pattern pieces. Fewer than five examples survive.

Cross References

PCGS #394574; NGC ID 31304; Kagin K-3 (Copper); related to K-4 (Gilt) and gold circulation strikes