Back to Mike Locke's small gold token index page.

This is a start on a list of California gold tokens that have a wreath with no bear on the reverse.

This is organized around the reverse design of the coins, since it appears that there is quite a bit of uniformity of reverse design for each series of coins. Note that there may be a wide range of obverse designs paired with certain reverse designs. To find your token, be sure to look at the reverse (bear or wreath side) picture. The obverse pictures are only provided as a representative of one style that is paired with that reverse. All of the tokens on this page have a wreath with no animal.

Be sure to peruse the list of uncategorized wreath tokens at the bottom of this page. The list at the bottom includes several worthless brass plated zinc pieces that have been known to fetch high prices at auction (these are still available new for about $1.50 each!).

Wreath #1

Detailed variety listing
Very plain curly line with berries, in a circle
Wide denticulated border
"CALIFORNIA" in arc inside top of wreath
"GOLD" in arc inside bottom of wreath
Date in middle, sometimes with bar above and below
1/4 or 1/2 size, denomination not stated
Only seen with Indian heads of crude and highly variable design

Scarcer tokens worth $15-45 each, depending on the condition. All are gilt brass.

Wreath #2

Detailed variety listing
Stick figure Leaves in simple pattern following coin edge. Wreath details vary a lot from variety to variety, with some have BERRIES only (no leaves).
Circle (not on all)
"CALIFORNIA GOLD" or "CAL. GOLD CHARM" inside circle with date in middle.

No denomination, usually with Arms of California obverse.
Seen paired with an obverse also paired with Wreath #1
Seen with many dates: 1875, 1884-1903. Auction records back to 1890 for the 1884 Arms of California varieties (1/4 & 1/2 oct & rnd)

Scarcer tokens worth $25-$100 each. Gold plated or solid gold.

Wreath #3

Detailed variety listing
Spartan Laurel wreath with a few berries and tie
"* CALIFORNIA *" above, "GOLD" at bottom date in middle. Sans-serif logotype, see Wreath 5 for with serif logotype.
No denomination.
Seen with unusual "Easter Island head" head (see Bear 11), but also with the Arms of California.

These appear to be quite modern, yet are rarely encountered. Valued at $20-40 each.

Wreath #4

Wreath 4 index
There are a lot of variants on this basic them of a wreath with a star in the center. Listing them all together has become so unwieldy that another level of index is required. All Wreath-star California tokens are listed under this index.

These range in value from $1 to $100. Solid brass through to solid gold.

Wreath #5

Detailed variety listing
Slender laurel wreath with paired leaves, paired berries, and tie "CALIFORNIA" in arc above wreath. "* GOLD *" in arc beneath wreath. Date in center. With serif logotype, see Wreath 3 for sans-serif logotype.
Seen with *CALIFORNIA*GOLD inside the wreath. Seen with lots of stars.
Seen with Arms of California, Liberty (several styles) and Indian (several styles) obverses
Refer to Doering D341

Valued from $10 to $50. All appear to be gold plated.

Wreath #6

Detailed variety listing
Line drawing wide open laurel wreath with scattered berries and paired leaves. 2 loop bow. "1/4 CALIF. GOLD" inside with horizontal solidus.

Reported by Andy as Motivations Research products

Valued from $1 to $5 each. Brass, maybe with thin gold electro plate.

Wreath #7

Detailed variety listing
Old style wreath with 1/X CAL.GOLD * inside. Seen paired with denominated coin obverse (BG933). Probably made on or about the date stated on the token.

Valued from $50 to $200 each. These are old tokens most likely made in the year stated on them. Apparently solid gold.

Wreath #8

Detailed variety listing
Ornate wreath with CALI- FORNIA GOLD in three lines inside.

Valued from $20-50 each. Apparently solid gold.

Wreath #9

Detailed variety listing
Ivy wreath with date inside. No legends. Diverse obverse designs. Almost always seen holed.
RARE

Valued from $50 to $250 each.

Wreath #10

Detailed variety listing
*Q* or *H* CAL GOLD CHARM inside a simple wreath
VERY SCARCE

Valued from $100 to $200 each. Apparently solid gold.

Wreath #11

Detailed variety listing
1/4 or 1/2 F. GOLD * inside a fancy wreath
VERY SCARCE

Valued at $100 and up. Apparently solid gold.

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Tokens that either defy categorization or that were cataloged before
I started the reverse classification scheme

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Octagonal 1/4 size
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Modern copy from Japan*
Liberty head 1876 below, 15 stars around. Crude line drawing head.+
1/4 CALIF GOLD inside a crude line drawing nearly closed wreath

Pretty close to worthless.

Modern copy from Japan*
Indian head 1881 below, 13 stars around. Crude line copy of BG799M+(2)
1/4 CALIF GOLD inside a crude line drawing nearly closed wreath copy of BG799M
Seen in earlier die state than the Japanese version

Pretty close to worthless.

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Round 1/4 size
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Modern copy from Japan*
Liberty head 12 stars around. Crude head, copy of BG222+
1/4 CALIF GOLD inside a crude line drawing wreath copy of BG222

Pretty close to worthless.

1849 Indian with 6 + 7 stars around +
Chain link circle with 1/4 inside. Style unlike any other seen except #3.

Value not established.

1849 Indian with huge nose and 8 stars around. Fancy wreath reverse. See also round 1/2

Value not established.

1849 Indian with 6 + 7 stars around +
Chain link circle with 1/4 inside. Style unlike any other seen except #1. Both sides differ from #1.

Value not established.

Modern copy from Japan*
Indian head 1861 below 11 stars around. Crude head, similar style to California Jewelry Co. (swept back feathers) +
Wreath 1/4 inside "* CALIFORNIA *" above "GOLD" below

Pretty close to worthless.

1881 Garfield presidential campaign medal, produced in the California fractional gold style. One was listed in lot 2644 in SH & H Chapman's sale of the Warner collection in 6/1884. R0270 illustrated, gold.

Value unknown.

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Octagonal 1/2 size
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Unusual Minerva obverse with 14 stars and E before and E after the bottom star
Unusual wreath reverse with 50 B.D. 1869 inside.
Burnie Misc type 1. R0273 illustrated, ex Brand 6/84:1624, gilt.

Valued at $250 to $500.

Modern copy from Japan*
Indian head 1881 below, 12 stars around. Crude head in the Brand style +
1/2 inside a nearly closed wreath

Pretty close to worthless.

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Round 1/2 size
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Indian with huge nose and 9 stars around, attractive fancy wreath. See also round 1/4

Modern copy from Japan*
Liberty head, 13 clover shaped stars around. +(2)
Wreath with 1852 inside "ONE-HALF CALIFORNIA GOLD" around Seen in early-ish die state, possibly a different obv die and not part of the Japanese set

Pretty close to worthless.

Modern copy from Japan*
Indian head 1872 beneath 13 stars around. Crude head Brand style. +
1/2 CALIF GOLD inside a very nearly closed crude wreath.

Pretty close to worthless.

1881 Garfield presidential campaign or memorial medal, produced in the California fractional gold style. This type appeared as lot 2644 of the SH & H Chapman sale of the Warner collection in 6/1884. The reverse is blank except for the spartan wreath.

Value unknown.

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Round 1 size
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Liberty head with 13 stars around. Cross hatch pattern on coronet
Thin wreath surrounded by stars, with 1 1864 inside

Not really part of the California gold series, this is a counter. Valued around $5-10.

Modern copy from Japan*
Indian head 1872 below 12 stars around. Crude Brand style ONE in wreath

Pretty close to worthless.

Wreath with 1 DOLLAR 1881 inside, one sided shell. This piece was identified as a tobacco tag by the seller. It was a decorative pull tab on a snuff tin.

Value unknown.

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Other: not California gold and incomplete descriptions
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Round

Indian head with 1807 beneath. Same or similar head to 1847 Rnd ONE with Bear 3 reverse. Wreath with "SOLID GOLD" inside. (really 1/2 dollar sized)

Value unknown.