RARE BECHTLER PRIVATE MINT, RUTHERFORD COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA - PIONEER, TERRITORIAL "CAROLINA GOLD"
GOLD ONE-DOLLAR PRIVATE ISSUE COIN - 27G, 21C, PLAIN EDGE VARIETY
CERTIFIED BY NGC ABOUT UNCIRCULATED 53
OBV: LEGEND "CAROLINA GOLD." ABOVE; FINENESS BELOW "21. C(ARAT)." ; WEIGHT CENTER "27.G(RAINS).".
REV: ENCIRCLING LEGEND "A.BECHTLER" FIVE-POINTED STAR DIVIDES "DOL:"; VALUE CENTER.
GERMAN BORN CHRISTOPH BECHTLER EMIGRATED TO AMERICA IN 1829 AND OPENED A JEWELRY AND CLOCK REPAIR BUSINESS IN PHILADELPHIA. BY 1830, HE AND HIS SONS AND A NEPHEW RELOCATED TO NORTH CAROLINA DURING THE EARLY GOLD RUSH IN NORTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA. SOON AFTER, CONVINCED BY LOCAL MINERS, HE STARTED ASSAYING GOLD TO CONVERT INTO COINAGE. HE MADE HIS OWN DIES AND PLANCHETS, PRESSES AND EQUIPMENT AND IN 1831 HE, HIS SON AUGUST AND NEPHEW CHRISTOPHER, PRODUCED THE FIRST GOLD DOLLARS MADE IN THE UNITED STATES.
IN A REPORT TO THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT BECHTLER FILED IN 1840, HE STATED THAT HE HAD STRUCK OVER TWO MILLION GOLD COINS! UNITED STATES BRANCH MINTS HAD OPENED TWO YEARS EARLIER IN CHARLOTTE AND DAHLONEGA AND BECHTLER PRODUCTION DECLINED.
THE MINT WAS LEFT TO BECHTLER'S SON AUGUST IN 1842. AUGUST DIED IN 1846 AND CHRISTOPHER BECHTLER CONTINUED OPERATION UNTIL AROUND 1850. UNITED STATES GOLD DOLLARS WERE IN PRODUCTION FROM 1849.
THE BECHTELER'S WERE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PIONEER AND TERRITORIAL GOLD MINTERS, AS WELL AS BEING THE MOST PROLIFIC AND LONGEST OPERATING.
CONTRACTS FROM THE CONFEDERACY OFTEN ASKED FOR PAYMENT IN BECHTLER GOLD AND IT WAS ACCEPTED THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S.
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OF THE 29 TYPES OF GOLD PIECES PRODUCED NO COLLECTOR HAS EVER POSSESSED A COMPLETE SET.
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CONTAINS 27 GRAINS OF 21 CARAT (.875) FINE GOLD
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15 MM IN DIAMETER
