The E-Sylum:  Volume 3, Number 48, November 19, 2000, Article 1

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ECKFELDT-DuBOIS WITH GOLD SAMPLES SOLD 

   One of the star rarities of American numismatic literature 
   traded hands on Thursday, November 16.  An 1850 
   first edition of  "New Varieties of Gold and Silver Coins, 
   Counterfeit Coins, and Bullion, with Mint Values," by 
   U.S. Mint Assayers Jacob R. Eckfeldt and William E. 
   DuBois, sold for $9,500 to an anonymous buyer at 
   an auction by Pacific Book Auction Galleries of San 
   Francisco. 

   The first edition of this cambist contained "actual samples 
   of California gold underneath two small formica disks 
   mounted on p.45", plus "a leaf printed in gold on blue paper 
   showing varieties of California and Mormon coins." 

   From the catalog description, in which other bibliographers 
   are quoted: "Rare first edition of one of the most sought-after 
   and most fragile books on gold coinage at the time of the 
   California Gold Rush.    The second edition of the following 
   year, with slightly expanded text, did not contain the original 
   samples of California gold which add to the unique character 
   of the work.  Streeter calls the slender volume "An important 
   reference book for the beginning of gold mining in California," 
   and Wheat remarks that "Actual samples of California `grain' 
   and `bar' gold, and reproductions of privately minted 1849 
   gold coins of California and of the Mormons in Utah render this 
   little book an extraordinary and colorful contemporary souvenir 
   of the Gold Rush."  Pages 21 to 31 describe four varieties of 
   California gold coins issued from the following mints: "N.G. & 
   N." of San Francisco, Oregon Exchange Company,  Miners' 
   Bank of San Francisco, and Moffat & Company of San 
   Francisco; chapter IV is entitled "Gold  from California." 

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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