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

Bear #6

Reverse similar to #5, but 2 mountains, bear looks like a wolf, and much cruder workmanship.
Seen only in 1/2 size diameter, but in a wide range of thicknesses
See also Bear 11

sans-serif logotype

14 varieties listed

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Bear #6, coin orientation
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Round 1/4?
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1849 Liberty #1, 8 stars. 1/2 size diameter, 1/4 size weight. Same reverse as Indian #1. Same Liberty head as seen on Bear11 tokens.

1849 Liberty #2, 11 stars. Same reverse as Indian #1. Same Liberty head as seen on Bear11 tokens.

1849 8 star Indian #1. 1/2 size diameter, 1/4 size weight. Same reverse as Liberty #1.

1849 10 star Indian #2. (delisted, this was a round 1).

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Round 1/2?
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1849 Minerva #1 "***** EUR * EKA ****" (5+1+4) around. Lettering appears hand engraved. +

1849 9 star Minerva #2, stars 4 + 1 + 4, dated 1849 on both sides
Same reverse as 1 size Indian head #1. Star positions differ from Minerva #1. The illustrated token is struck from heavily clashed dies.

1849 11 star Indian #1. Seen both gilt and solid gold. The gilt token measures 12.8 x 0.6mm, 0.54 grams, while the solid gold token measures 12.8 x 0.5mm, 0.67 grams (about 40% denser). The solid gold token is illustrated (note the test cuts on the lower rim).

1856 11 star Indian #1

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Octagonal 1
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1849 12 star Indian #1. Rare! Looks much better than it appears in the picture.

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Round 1?
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1849 9 star Minerva #1, stars 4 + 1 + 4, dated 1849 on both sides. Seen both 1 and 0.5 mm thick, both in about 8K solid gold
Same reverse as Indian head #2. Same style as 1/2 size Minerva #1, about the same diameter, but twice as thick.

1849 10 star Minerva #2, stars 5 + 1 + 4, dated 1849 on both sides (obverse of 1/2 #1?)
Same reverse as Indian head #4. This is really a 1/2, but since the 1/2 and 1 tokens are the same diameter, does anyone really care?

1849 10 star Indian #1, star clear of front of 1st feather + Wreath open and centered under "californiA" Extremely thick, intended to be a ONE?

1849 10 star Indian #2, star jammed into front of 1st feather + Wreath closed and centered under "californIa" This variety comes both thick (1mm) and thin (0.5mm) (thin illustrated).

1849 10 star Indian #3, second feather points into a star Reverse of #1, now in a later die state. Crude gold plating, chipping at edge of obv. Too thin to be a 1, too big around to be a 1/2. Seen both gilt (illustrated) and in solid 14K? gold.

1849 10? star Indian #4, apparently the obverse of #2, wreath wide open.
Both known examples have ex-jewelry damage, the illustrated piece being the better of the two.

1849 10 star Indian #5, obverse and reverse differ from all others.