Coin World
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One of the first Gold Rush-era coins minted in San Francisco, a unique pioneer gold $20 piece minted by John G. Kellogg, will return to the Bay area for just the second time since it was made in 1854.
The coin will be on display during the first three days of the Santa Clara Coin, Stamp & Collectibles Expo, which is slated for April 19 to 22, in the Santa Clara Convention Center at 5001 Great America Parkway.
The coin is graded Specimen 69 by Professional Coin Grading Service.
Kellogg, a former employee of the San Francisco U.S. Assay Office, struck the piece on Feb. 9, 1854, and gave it to his friend and future business partner, New York City watchmaker Augustus Humbert, the former U.S. assayer in San Francisco.
Kellogg’s name prominently appears in the headdress worn by the symbolic Liberty on the obverse. The reverse has the legend SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA TWENTY D.
The designs duplicate those found on the federal Coronet gold $20 double eagle issued from 1850 to 1907.
"The renowned names of Kellogg and Humbert are an integral part of California’s Gold Rush history," said Steve Contursi, owner of the coin and President of Rare Coin Wholesalers of Dana Point, Ca., in a press release. "Only a few 1854 $20 Kellogg gold pieces survive today, and this is the only one designated a ‘specimen strike’ because of its exceptionally strong design features."
The piece is reportedly insured for $2.5 million.
The appearance at the show is only the second time it has ever been publicly exhibited in the San Francisco Bay area, according to Ronald J. Gillio, Santa Clara Expo general chairman. It remained in a vault at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, part of the fabled collection of John Work Garrett, a founder of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. The Garrett Collection, which was owned by Johns Hopkins through donation, was sold in a series of auctions from 1979 to 1981.
Superior Galleries is conducting the official auction April 19 and 20 in conjunction with the Santa Clara show, with lot viewing from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. both days. The auction sessions begin at 7 p.m. the same two days.
Several educational seminars are being conducted at the show. A representative of eBay, Troy Thoreson, will present an updated version of its seminar, "Buying and Selling on eBay," at noon on April 21, followed by Don Barsi’s seminar on Office of Price Administration tokens of World War II at 1 p.m.
Early American Coppers has a meeting at 11 a.m. April 21.
A treasure hunt for young collectors is scheduled to run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 21.
A gold coin is being offered as a door prize each day of the show.
The Santa Clara Expo is co-sponsored by the Cupertino Coin Club and the San Jose Coin Club. Each club is staging a drawing, with the San Jose drawing at 4 p.m. April 21 and the Cupertino club holding its drawing at 2 p.m. April 22.
Show organizers expect about 1,000 dealers and from 5,000 to 8,000 people to attend the show. The show will be conducted on a 50,000-square-foot bourse.
Public hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 19, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 20 and 21 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 22.
Admission is $6 (good for all four days); $3 for seniors (65 and up) and children 8 to 16; children 7 and younger are admitted free.
Free parking is available at the Santa Clara Convention Center. For more information, telephone the show owner Expos Unlimited at (805) 962-9939 or visit the show Web site at www.SantaClaraExpo.com.