Unique $2.5 Million Gold Rush Coin Returns to Bay Area Made in 1854 in San Francisco with California Gold Rush ore, a one-of-a-kind, historic $20 denomination gold coin will return to the Bay area for a three-day public display in Santa Clara, California.
News-Antique.com - Apr 02,2007 - (Santa Clara, CA) -- One of the first Gold Rush-era coins minted in San Francisco, a unique $20 denomination gold piece valued today at $2,500,000, will return to the Bay area for only the second time since it was made in 1854. The historic gold coin, known as the "Kellogg Twenty," will be publicly displayed during the first three days of the Santa Clara Coin, Stamp & Collectibles Expo, April 19 - 22, 2007, in the Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Parkway.
eBay will present an updated version of its popular seminar, "Buying and Selling on eBay," as one of the educational programs during the collectibles show.
"The 'Kellogg Twenty' Gold Rush-era coin was struck on February 9, 1854 by John Glover Kellogg, a former employee of the San Francisco U.S. Assay Office. He gave the coin to his friend and future business partner, New York City watchmaker, Augustus Humbert, the former U.S. Assayer in San Francisco," explained Ronald J. Gillio, Santa Clara Expo General Chairman.
Kellogg's name prominently appears in the headdress worn by the symbolic Miss Liberty on the front of the coin. The tail's side has the words: "SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA TWENTY D."
"The renowned names of Kellogg and Humbert are an integral part of California's Gold Rush history. Only a few 1854 $20 Kellogg gold pieces survive today, and this is the only one designed a 'specimen strike' because of its exceptionally strong design features. It was specially made, unique and insured for $2.5 million," said Steve Contursi, owner of the coin and President of Rare Coin Wholesalers of Dana Point, California.
"This is only the second time it has ever been publicly exhibited in the Bay area," said Gillio. "For nearly 60 years, the California territorial coin resided 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."
Superior Galleries of Beverly Hills, California conducts the official rare coin auction during the Santa Clara show. A children's treasure hunt will be held between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Saturday, April 21, and a gold coin door prize will be awarded each day of the four-day show.
The Santa Clara Expo is co-sponsored by the Cupertino Coin Club.
Public hours are Thursday, April 19, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, April 20 and 21, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; and Sunday, April 22, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is $6 (good for all four days); $3 for seniors (65 and up) and children 8 to 16; children 7 and under admitted free.
Free parking is available at the Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Parkway.
For additional information, call Expos Unlimited at (805) 962-9939. Online: www.SantaClaraExpo.com.
