1849 $10 Moran & Clark, Copper Die Trial - California Gold Patterns CACG VF30

Here is a great rarity from the early California Gold Rush, one that should whet the appetite of the specialist in Territorial gold coinage. CAC Grading has graded this single example with none finer. PCGS has graded 8 pieces of this $10 Moran & Clark die trial, with the finest being AU53. NGC, on the other hand, has graded 2 specimens with their finest being AU50.

Portsmouth Square in San Francisco, 1851. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

This offering from AUCM is a die trial for a $10 gold piece intended for the business of Moran & Clark in San Francisco, CA, circa 1849. This firm never struck any gold coins, therefore these copper pieces are the only artifacts of that plan. The heads of Moran & Clark were Dan Moran and John C. Clark. Their presence is first noted in Sacramento on August 23, 1849. Obvioulsy, not only did their coinage plans dissolve, but their residence in California was quite short-lived; by late 1850, Moran had already returned to New York City to conduct an auction business.

The obverse is inscribed in several lines CALIFORNIA GOLD / WARRANTED / 10 DOLLS / MINT VALN / MORAN & CLARK. The reverse exhibits a wreath around the central inscription II DWT.8GR / 20 1/2 CARAT, the second A in CARAT cut over an erroneous E. The inscription SAN FRANCISCO is above and the word CALIFORNIA is below. Struck in copper with a reeded edge. The legends on this coin tell us that the proposed Moran $10 gold piece was to weigh 11 pennyweights, 8 grains and be of 20.5 carats purity. The reference to San Francisco could have been where the coins were produced, or where Moran & Clark had planned to strike them.