1935 Alaska RRC Bingle Gold Eagle

Coin Details

Description

The 1935 Alaska Rural Rehabilitation Corporation ten-dollar bingle is the highest denomination and greatest rarity in the eight-piece Matanuska Colony scrip series. Cataloged as a "Gold Eagle" using traditional coinage terminology, this brass token represented the largest single unit of purchasing power available within the colony's closed economic system — equivalent to several days' credited labor for the average colonist family. The ten-dollar denomination would have been reserved for the colony's most expensive transactions: major farming equipment purchases, large lumber orders for cabin construction, or accumulated savings within the scrip system. Given its high face value relative to the colonists' modest scrip allowances, the ten-dollar bingle circulated far less frequently than the smaller denominations, and correspondingly fewer pieces were manufactured. The Matanuska Colony ultimately proved more successful than its many early critics predicted. While approximately half the original 202 families departed within the first two years, the remaining colonists established productive farms that contributed to Alaska's agricultural development for decades. The Palmer area that grew from the original settlement remains the center of Alaskan agriculture today. The bingle tokens, particularly the rare high denominations, have become prized collectibles that represent the intersection of Depression-era social policy, territorial Alaskan history, and frontier monetary necessity. The ten-dollar piece stands as the capstone of the series, commanding the strongest collector demand and highest market values among the eight denominations.

Rarity Notes

Very rare. The scarcest denomination in the series by a significant margin. Fewer than 50 examples survive. This is the key date and denomination for Alaska territorial collectors. Individual auction appearances generate strong competitive bidding.

Cross References

PCGS #20027