Back to Mike Locke's small gold tokens with wreath4 index.

Wreath #4b

Laurel wreath with tripled leaves, paired berries and tie
"CALIFORNIA" inside wreath in arc at top. "GOLD" inside wreath straight at bottom. * in center, usually small. Three leaves at wreath tips, the center one larger and longer than the others.

74 varieties listed

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Wreath #4b, small star, large letters
Evidence has it that the short neck Indians exist in all dates 1852-1860 and in round and octagonal 1/4 and 1/2 size.
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Octagonal 1/4
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1852 Arms of California #1. Not listed by Roe.

Jay Roe reports 2 1854 Octagonal 1/4 Arms of California tokens (2 reverses, common obverse).

Jay Roe reports 1857 Octagonal 1/4 Arms of California token (one illustrated).

1857 Arms of California #1. Photo of token from the David Showers collection.

1852 Indian #1, 13 stars

1852 Indian #2, 12 stars, similar style to wreath 8 tokens. At least 14K solid gold.

1852 Indian #3, 13 stars, apparently the same obverse as #1. Berry left of G higher than #1.

1852 Indian #4, 13 stars, same reverse as 1853 #1?

1853 Indian #1, 13 stars. Berry over middle of R.

1853 Indian #2, 13 stars. Berry over front of R.

1854 Indian #1, 13 stars. Berry over middle of R.

1854 Indian #2, 13 stars, reverse similar to #1, but berry positions and lettering differ slightly.

1855 Indian #1, 13 stars. Berry over front of R.

1855 Indian #2, 13 stars. Berry over center of R.

1855 Indian #3, 13 stars. Berry between R and N.

1856 Indian #1, 13 stars. Defect under 8 (double cut?), berry over front of R.

1856 Indian #2, 13 stars. Defect under 8 (double cut?), berry over center of R (2 defects under R?--maybe clash marks)

1856 Indian #3, 13 stars, unusually broad leaves on reverse (same as 1855 #3). Fallen 6 obverse of Wreath4b? The illustrated token has been polished, making scanning difficult.

1856 Indian #4, 13 stars. Several stars recut on obverse, star 7 widely so. Reverse wreath substantially rotated counterclockwise relative to the octagon.

1857 Indian #1, 13 stars, rev of 1856 #1; berry over front of R.

1857 Indian #2, 13 stars. Berry over middle of R. Photo of token from the David Showers collection.

1858 Indian #1, 13 stars. Top star joins denticals, berry over front of R.

1859 Indian #1, 13 stars, Slight doubling of 1 and star 13, berry over front of R.

1860 Indian #1, 13 stars. This is some sort of overdate (last 2 digits), but I cannot make out what is underneath "60". Berry over front edge of R.

1860 Indian #2, 13 stars. Seems to be the same obverse as #1, bow on reverse differs from #1, and wreath is closer to the edge.

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Round 1/4
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Jay Roe reports 2 1852 Round 1/4 Arms of California tokens with a common obverse and different reverses (one illustrated).

1852 Arms of California #1. Photo of token from the David Showers collection.

Jay Roe reports 1854 Round 1/4 Arms of California token.

1852 Indian #1, 13 stars, seen with clash marks. Same reverse as 1853 #1? Berry over left edge of both Is. Compare with 1852 #3

1852 Indian #2, 13 stars. Same obverse as #1 (note crack above star 1)? Same reverse as 1856 #1? Berry over right edge of N.

1852 Indian #3, 13 stars. Extremely close copy of the reverse of 1852 #1. Compared to that reverse: berry above "cAlifornia" is slightly to the left of center of A, the berry outside of that aligns with a gap between denticles, inner and outer ribbon ends are more equal in length. Good luck telling the difference from these pictures. (not my coin)

1853 Indian #1, 13 stars. Berry over left edge of both Is

1853 Indian #2, 13 stars, obverse of 1853 #1, reverse of 1854 #1. Berry over left edge of second I, another berry centered between LI.

1853 Indian #3, 13 stars, obverse of 1853 #1. Berry between NI, another berry over left edge of first I. Thick letters and leaves.

1854 Indian #1, 13 stars. Berry over right edge of N

1854 Indian #2, 13 stars, obverse of 1854 #1, reverse of 1855 #1?. Berry over left edge of both Is.

1854 Indian #3, 13 stars. Berry over left edge of second I, berry centered between LI.

1855 Indian #1, 13 stars. Star 1 away from bust, berry over left edge of both Is.

1855 Indian #2, 13 stars. Star 1 touches bust, berry over second I, another berry centered between LI.

1856 Indian #1, 13 stars. Berry over left edge of second I, centered between LI.

1856 Indian #2, 13 stars. Berry over left edge of both Is.

1857 Indian #1, 13 stars, some repunched, obverse die rusty "modern head" 6*. Seen in solid brass and solid gold (shown). The brass token is 0.7mm thick while the gold token is 0.5mm thick and has a pink hue.

1857 Indian #2, 13 stars. "Old head"

1857 Indian #3, 13 stars. Cast copy of #1.

1857 Indian #4, 13 stars. Obverse of #2, reverse with berry over right foot of N.

1858 Indian #1, 13 stars. Berry over right edge of N.

1859 Indian #1, 13 stars. Berry over middle of R.

1859 Indian #2, 13 stars. Berry over front of R, left of second I.

1860 Indian #1, 13 stars. Berry over left edge of both Is.

1860 Indian #2, 13 stars. Berry over left edge of second I, between LI.

1860 Indian #3, 13 stars. Berry over right edge of N.

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Octagonal 1/2
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Jay Roe reports 2 1852 octagonal 1/2 Arms of California tokens with a common obverse and different reverses. (2 illustrated here)

1852 Arms of California #1. Same rev as 1859 & 1860 Indians #1
The illustrated piece looks like it was heated/melted for soldering, but never actually soldered
The damage is most obvious on the reverse, but both sides are damaged.
Jay Roe noted that Arms of California-Wreath 4 tokens are very scarce to rare.

1852 Arms of California #2. Slightly different reverse, with an inner leaf extentending half way over F.
Jay Roe reports 1854 octagonal 1/2 Arms of California token. (one illustrated)

1854 Arms of California #1. Same rev as 1859 & 1860 Indians #1. Photo of token from the David Showers collection.

Jay Roe reports 1857 octagonal 1/2 Arms of California token.

1859 Liberty #1, 13 stars 6*. Obverse rusty, crack across nose. Seen in both solid brass (shown) and solid gold. The brass token is 0.7mm thick, while the gold token is 0.5mm thick and has a pink hue.

1859 Liberty #2, 13 stars, extremely crudely cast copy of #1.

1852 Indian #1, 13 stars. Small obverse stars away from denticles; oval dots on head band. Large berries, some touch denticles.

1852 Indian #2, 13 stars. Large obverse stars, some touch denticulation; round dots on head band. Smaller berries, none touch denticulation.

1853 Indian #1, 13 stars.

1853 Indian #2, 13 stars. Obverse of #1, reverse differs slightly.

1854 Indian #1, 13 stars

1855 Indian #1, 13 stars. The illustrated token is exceptionally bright and brassy, and also rather weakly struck.

1856 Indian #1, 13 stars

1857 Indian #1, 13 stars.

1858 Indian #1, 13 stars. Date away from denticles, wreath nearly closed.

1858 Indian #2, 13 stars. Date touches denticles, wreath open. Same reverse as 1860 Indian #2.

1858 Indian #3, 13 stars. Obverse of #1, reverse of 1858 Ind #2.

1859 Indian #1, 13 stars

1859 Indian #2, 13 stars. Reverse of #1, head further forward.

1860 Indian #1, 13 stars 6 pearls in headband, berries low in wreath are bulges on the end of the stems.

1860 Indian #2, 13 stars 9 pearls in headband (one pearl is more like a die blob than an intentional pearl), berries low in wreath are full and round. Possibly dies of #1 ground down and re-engraved.

1860 Indian #3, 13 stars 6 pearls in headband, berries low in wreath are full and round. obverse of #1, a third reverse.

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Round 1/2
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Jay Roe reports 2 1852 Round 1/2 Arms of California tokens with a common obverse and different reverses.

Jay Roe reports 2 1854 Round 1/2 Arms of California tokens with a common obverse and different reverses.

**No picture available to determine which wreath style goes with these varieties. It is expected to be paired with Wreath4b or Wreath4e.

1852 Indian #1, 13 stars.

1853 Indian #1, 13 stars.

1854 Indian #1, 13 stars.

1855 Indian #1, 13 stars.

1859 Indian #1, 13 stars. Wreath style is borderline between a and b.

1860 Indian #1, 13 stars.