Pre-Long Beach Auction #84

1860 $10 Clark-Gruber. K-3, Rarity 5. NGC graded EF-45. Clark, Gruber and Company is the most famous Colorado private gold minter. The Pike's Peak gold rush began in 1859 but word of the discovery began to spread East, West, South and North in the Fall of 1858. To further spark the public's interest, unbelievable fabrications began to appear in print, as though the mere reporting would establish the facts. On September 18, 1858, the Wyandotte Gazette published a "reliable" account concerning $10,000 in gold dust which had come in from Pike's Peak: "One man brought in $600.00 as the result of a few weeks work. A small boy had $1,000, which he says 'he dug down and found,' and the little fellow says 'he can get all he wants." This undocumented account was reprinted in the Missouri Democrat on September 24, and followed the next day by the report of a merchant from St. Joseph, who had come to St. Louis to buy a supply of bacon for the Pike's Peak trade. This and thousands of other newspaper accounts acted like a magnet to draw hopeful gold seekers to the region from which this $10 gold coin is an all-too-solid reminder of those half-forgotten days.

The obverse of this famous gold coin shows an unrealistic image of Pikes Peak, resembling a volcano or a large anthill, which was created by a die sinker in the East who had never been to Colorado or seen this beautiful mountain first recorded by Zebulon Pike on his journey of discovery in 1806. Boldly struck in subtle green-gold with some rose-red highlights, especially within the reverse design. A mark is noted in the left obverse field and a milling mark is noted in the right reverse field, these being mentioned for future identification purposes. Probably the most popular Pioneer gold coin in the entire series, and always in great demand. Pop 2; 52 finer .
Estimated Value $20,000 - 24,000.