EARLY BECHTLER NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS

“NOTICE TO GOLD MINERS & OTHERS C. Bechtler informs all interested in the gold mines and in assaying and bringing the gold of the mines into ingots or pieces of a standard value, that he is now prepared to assay, and stamp gold, to any amount, to a standard of 20 carats, making it into pieces of $2.50 and $5.00 value, at his establishment 3 ½ miles north of Rutherfordton, on the road leading from Rutherfordton to Jeanstown. The following are his prices:

For simply fluxing rough gold, ¾ per cent.
For fluxing gold – to be stamped, ½ per cent.
For assaying gold; any quantity less than 3 lbs., $1.00
For stamping, 2½ per cent.
July 2, 1831

“To Gold Miners and Others:

The undersigned having coined a great quantity of N. Carolina gold into pieces of $2.50 and $5.00 value, of 20 carats fine, and being well prepared to increase the business to any extent, is established 3 ½ miles on the road leading from Rutherfordton to Jeanstown, invites the attention of miners in S. Carolina and Georgia as well as N. Carolina to the advantage which would result from having the product of their mines coined or made into ingots bearing their just value rather than disposing of it in its fluxed state, without an assay and therefore liable to produce an improper value: gold in a fluxed state of 22 and 23 carats is generally sold for 84 cents per dwt. in the bank, whereas its intrinsic value, if coined, is 90 or 94 cents, consquently an actual saving of 6 cents per dwt will be made by having it coined after paying all the expenses of coining, etc. Should encouragement be given, new dies will be made especially for stamping S. Carolina and also Georgia gold.

He would also here make known the plan which he has adopted and will pur- sue: on receiving a bar of fluxed gold to be coined, the same will be divided, a portion assayed (by a fire ordeal) for the purpose of ascertaining its exact fineness, and he will be accountable for the amount of the value of the whole so ascertained — at the same time returning to the owner ½ dwt of each assay, which he may keep for his own satisfaction or for the purpose of having it assayed elsewhere to find its value, that no deception or fraud may be practiced, and, in case there should be, that he might have the means of detecting the same — for all which he holds himself responsi- ble. The following are his prices: for fluxing 400 dwts or less $1.00; for assying (by a fire ordeal) 1000 dwts or less, $1.00; for coining 2 ½ per cent. When the gold is to be coined no charge is made for the assay.

He has also on hand a handsome assortment of jewelry, watches, etc. Any particular kind of jewelry will be executed to order in the neatest and most skillful manner. C. Bechtler”.

Wayne Homren, Editor

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