A BEVY OF BECHTLERS

 

Few Americans know that the first Gold Rush in the United States began in North Carolina -- not California -- and that the first major discovery of gold in America was in 1799, not 1848. The second Gold Rush took place on Cherokee lands in Georgia in 1829. Difficulties in transporting southern gold the long distance to the U.S. Mint at Philadelphia gave rise to private mints beginning in 1830 and eventually resulted in the establishment of branch mints at Charlotte, North Carolina and Dahlonega, Georgia in 1838.

One of the more successful private minters was the Bechtler family. Between 1832 and approximately 1850, the Bechtlers produced large quantities of $1, $2.50, and $5 gold pieces. Bechtler coins were well-received and continued to circulate even after the U.S. government opened their competing operations.

Today, Bechtler coins are among the most popular privately-minted gold coins. Most of the 29 varieties listed in Don Kagin's "Private Gold Coins and Patterns of the United States" are rated Rarity 5 (31-75 examples known) or higher. Two additional varieties are very rare Proof restrikes. Thus, the challenge, difficulty, and expense of completing a variety set forces most collectors to settle for a denomination set or a set of major varieties. Nowadays, it is rare for a major rare coin auction to contain one or more pieces.

A surprising exception is the January 2022 F.U.N. sale being conducted by Heritage Numismatic Auctions. As part of the larger Buffalo Bayou Collection of Pioneer Gold Coins, Heritage is offering fourteen lots of Bechtler gold coins, including several extreme rarities and numerous Condition Census candidates. The following comments are offered by the Numismatic Detective Agency (NDA) to assist bidders in understanding the coins and formulating their bids (see the important Disclaimer at the end of this article).

To read the complete article, see:
A Bevy of Bechtlers: A Look at Heritage's 2022 F.U.N. Sale (https://numismaticdetectives.com/blog/f/a-bevy-of-bechtlers-a-look-at-heritages-2022-fun-sale)

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