2½ Dollars - Clark, Gruber and Co. 1860

Weight

4.55 g

Diameter

NA

Thickness

NA

Material

Gold (.829)

Shape

Round

Edge Type

NA

Technique

Milled

Front design

Liberty head left with company name on headband; date beneath.

Back design

Eagle facing, U.S. emblem on breast, holding arrows and sprig in claws.

Year of Minting

1860

Ruler

NA

Mint location

NA

Mint mark

NA

Orientation

NA

Inscriptions

Obverse: CLARK & Co. Reverse: PIKES PEAK GOLD DENVER 2 ½ D .

Context

Clark, Gruber and Company was established at the height of the Colorado Gold Rush, a decade after the California Gold Rush, to coin gold from the local mines. After making its last coins in 1861, the company continued producing ingots in 1862, and it was formally bought by the U.S. Treasury in 1863. It functioned for more than four decades as an assay office, before a new facility officially opened as the Denver Mint in 1906. According to the linked source of the photos, the purity was 0.8285, and the weight of the coins was higher than Federal issues to the extent of 23 grains for a $10 coin. With the Federal quarter eagle at 4.18 grams, this means the Clark, Gruber equivalent type would have been nearly 6 grains (or 0.37 grams) heavier than a Federal quarter eagle, bringing the weight to 4.55 g.

Rarity

Ultra rare

Coin type

Standard circulation

In circulation

No

Demonetized

Yes

Marketplace listings

0