Back to Mike Locke's small gold tokens with bears index.

Bear #5

Hand cut small shagy bear shaped with a pig, facing left
A few lines for ground beneath, "1849" or nothing beneath that
Fancy floral pattern in front and behind
4 mountains with sunrise/set in middle, no denomination
"CALIFORNIA GOLD" in arc at top
Seen only in 1/2 size with 15 star nicely engraved Indian, small stars
bold Indian head, date beneath.

Max Mehl records the existance of "Indian head, 1849 both sides, sun and mountain 1 and 1/2 size" in 1921. This category also includes somewhat different styles from the 1960s and 1970s, most likely from Financial Motivations, plus one variety from Italy.

24 varieties listed

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Bear #5, all are semi-line drawing style, medal orientation
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Octagonal 1/4
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1849 Indian #1, 13 stars. Surfaces slightly rough.

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Round 1/4
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1849 Indian #1, 13 stars.

1849 Indian #2, 13 stars, star & date position differ slightly from #1, similar but very slightly different reverse also.

1849 Indian #3, 11 stars, the last star is faint, yet another very similar reverse.

1849 Indian #4, 11 stars. Obverse of #3, different reverse. Photo of token from the David Showers collection.

1849 Indian #5, 12 stars. Reverse rim cud from K6 to K9. The gilt on the illustrated token is peeling.

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Octagonal 1/2
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1849 Indian #1, 14 stars+, a smallish half

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Round 1/2
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1849 Indian #1, 14 stars, small stars. The 4 on the obverse is boldly double cut. Seen with small reverse rim cud at K9 (shown) and with entire reverse rim crumbling (K8-K12, K2, K4). The one late state piece seen is lighter and thinner than the earlier state pieces--kinda peculiar given that these are gold plated.

1849 Indian #2, 14 stars. Star 8 widely double cut, appears to have 6 points.

1849 Indian #3, 14 stars (delisted, this is a round 1)

1849 Indian #4, 14 stars. Obverse of #1, different reverse.

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Octagonal 1
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1849 Indian #1, 13 stars, smallish for a 1, but too large for a 1/2.

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Round 1
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1849 Unusual large Liberty #1, 13 stars. Similar style reverse, but double row of dots on reverse and bear very large. Dark copper color (difficult to photo). Token provided by Dave Showers & photographed by Mike Locke.

1850 Unusual large Liberty #1, 13 stars. Similar style reverse, but double row of dots on reverse and bear very large. Dark copper color (difficult to photo). Token provided by Dave Showers & photographed by Mike Locke.

1860 Unusual large Liberty #1, 13 stars. Similar style reverse, but double row of dots on reverse and bear very large. Dark copper color (difficult to photo). Token provided by Dave Showers & photographed by Mike Locke.

1849 Indian #1, 15 stars, rev rim cud at K5. Poppy petals turn downwards, no tail on bear.

1849 Unusual large Indian #2, 13 stars. Similar style reverse, but double row of dots on reverse and bear very large. Clearly part of the series of 1850 & 1860 Liberty listed above. Dark copper color (difficult to photo). Token provided by Dave Showers & photographed by Mike Locke.

1849 Indian #3, 15 stars apparently the same as 1849 Indian #1. Poppy petals do not turn downwards, tail on bear. Solid gold.

1849 Indian #4, similar to #2, but stars closer to rim.

1850 Minerva #1, 6 stars in front and behind, "EUREKA" above. No date reverse 4* 5* Child's face
** coin orientation and different logotype => different mfg
Beware, the double chin is frequently not visible on this variety. This variety is *very* common. Look for the lump on the left edge of the 0 in the date. **REPORTED WITH "REPLICA" ON THE REVERSE.

1850 Minerva #2, etc, *CAST OR BAD ELECTROTYPE COPY* of above Heavy, rings, seam on edge, surfaces rough apparently a copy of #4 below

1850 Minerva #3, 6 stars in front and behind. Man's face small stars. Same reverse as child's face coin in an earlier die state
Apparently the same dies as #4, but largely re-engraved. Surfaces rough. Sturck in Italy in the 1970s. 8*

1850 Minerva #4, 6 stars in front and behind. Apparently the die struck original used for the cast copy listed as #2. Dies rusted and parially polished out, giving the curious halo effect seen here. Slightly smaller than #2. Earlier die state shows as cameo proof-like. Note crack in hair behind neck. Seen in both gilt brass (0.8 mm thick, 0.74 grams) and solid gold (0.55mm thick, 0.8 grams)

1850 Minerva #5, etc "ONE DGW" on bottom of reverse. Although similar in layout, both sides are very different in style from the other tokens of this type. There's no bear on this one, so I suppose I have it mis-categorized! The illustrated piece has been scrubbed and has three digs or strike throughs on the obverse. The weight and dimensions of this piece indicate that it is 24K gold (12.7x0.5mm, 0.97 grams)

1850 Minerva #6 (picture courtesy of Andy Gunderson).

1850 Minerva #7, 6 stars in front and behind. Yet a different Minerva head, with larger helmet, and more vertical lines in the visor.

1853 Eureka/Minerva #1.
The illustrated token is cupped and otherwise abused.

1853 Eureka/Minerva #2, cast copy of #1. Significantly larger in diameter than #1 and does not ring.