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Bear #2

Shagy bear with a mane and lion's head
Ground underneath
Fancy floral pattern in front and behind
Denomination in large letters in middle
"CALIFORNIA GOLD" in arc across the top
Several dies seen, each apparently hand cut
Line drawing heads, but finer work than the bear #1 coins
Seen with 1932 Olympics and 1936 Bay Bridge obverses
Seen in 1/4 1/2, and 1 size

Reported by Andy as made by Motivations research and later by Art Smith with "replica" on the reverse. 1970s or later. See also wreath #6.

Burnie reports that most of these are known with "ALL Dates 1849-1860"

21 varieties listed

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Bear #2, all are 13 stars, line drawing style, medal orientation
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Octagonal 1/4
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1854 Liberty #1, obv has fine crack K12 to center +
rev badly cracked at K10 and K2, "californIa" points to corner at K1:30

1854 Liberty #2, obv has fine crack K12 to center, same die as previous +
No letter adjacent to corner at K1:30

1854 Liberty #3, same die as previous?
Bear chin touches leaves

1856 Liberty #1, chin touches leaves, same as seen on many of these.

1856 Liberty #2, head further forward than #1, slightly different style. Bear chin touches leaves, apparently an earlier die state of #1.

1856 Liberty #3, obverse of #1, reverse of 1857 Indian #3.

1857 Liberty #1, mouth points to leaves, solidus points to A. Solid 14K or better gold, unlike most of these.

1857 Liberty #2. Obverse of #1, bear mouth points to leaves, solidus points to G. Later die state obverse and gilt copper.

1852 Indian #1, rev cracked at K8 + (2)
The first picture shows the usual gold plated brass piece struck from worn dies
The second picture shows the scarcer solid gold piece struck from relatively fresh dies
The former probably by Tatham, the later probably by Joseph Nathan.

1852 Indian #2, Bear nose in flower.

1853 Indian #1

1853 Indian #2, obverse of #1, reverse of 1857 Indian #3 (Ebay picture)

1855 Indian #1, nose points to flower. (ebay picture)

1856 Indian #1, nose in leaves. Reverse rim cud at K2 and matching blank area on obverse.

1856 Indian #2, nose in leaves. Apparently the obverse of 1856 #1 with the reverse of 1857 #1.

1856 Indian #3. Nose in flower.

1857 Indian #1, nose in leaves

1857 Indian #2, nose points towards flower (Ebay picture)

1857 Indian #3, nose points towards flower. Obverse of #1, a 3rd reverse.

1859 Indian #1, nose points towards leaves.

1860 Indian #1, nose in flower. The top one is solid gold, the lower one is gilt brass & in a much later die state than the solid gold example.