CALIFORNIA SMALL DENOMINATION TERRITORIAL GOLD DEVIATING FROM THE RULE OF 13 STARS

CALIFORNIA SMALL DENOMINATION TERRITORIAL GOLD DEVIATING FROM "THE RULE OF 13 STARS"

JOHN H. MACMILLAN Ph.D.

In two earlier articles this author has presented analyses of both federal and non federal U.S. coin issues containing either less or more than 13 stars. 13 stars, the number representing the original 13 colonies, became the "generic" number of stars in 1796, when the admittance of Tennessee to the Union made adding stars for each additional state impractical on small diameter issues. The first article listed federal issues deviating from "the rule" and their significance, while the second analyzed high denomination territorial gold, Confederate half dollars and hard times tokens. This article presents the author's analysis of California "small denomination" gold coins of the 1853-1857 era. These comprise round and octagonal 25 cent pieces, half dollars and gold dollars. Walter Breen's "Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins" was used in this analysis. In the earlier articles this author identified six types of coins deviating from "the rule of 13 stars"

TYPE A

THE STATES

IN THE

UNION

DURING

THE YEAR COIN STRUCK

TYPE B

A STATES

ORDER

RATIFYING

THE CONSTITUTION

TYPE C

A STATES

ORDER

JOINING UNION

AFTER CONSTITUTIONAL RATIFICATION

TYPE D

THE STATES

UNION

AT START

OF LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION IN 1804

TYPE E

PROBABLY

ARTISTIC LICENSE

TYPE F

PROBABLY

MINT

ERROR

IN STAR COUNT OR FILLED DYE

Analysis of the small denomination California series immediately indicated that several of these types were not found. No examples of types A through D were identified. Since these pieces were issued in the 1850's era, 31 states were in the Union, with the admittance of California in 1850. Therefore types A through C would require a large number of stars to be placed on such small diameter coins. No die engraver would relish the challenge of so many stars on such small coins! There was also no reason to commemorate the Lewis and Clark Expedition during this era, omitting type D. Many small denomination California Gold coins do indeed conform to "the rule of 13 stars". However those that do not primarily contain less than 13 stars, conforming to Type E, for the practical reasons mentioned above. Only two instances of greater than 13 stars were identified, 1854 round gold half dollars of M. DERIBERPE, which show 14 stars on the obverse. Whether these issues are Type E, "artistic license", or Type F "mint error" cannot be answered without documentation. The table below lists all identified "non 13 star" varieties in this series, together with the appropriate Gillio Numbers from the Breen-Gillio book on California fractional gold issues.

If anyone has further insight on the star numbers, additions to the list, or other errors, I would love to hear from you at jhm@ix.netcom.com.

NON "13 STAR"	CA FRACTIONAL	GOLD COINS	AND GOLD
DOLLARS	DEVIATING FROM	"THE RULE OF	13 STARS"
ALL ARE	TYPES E OR POSSIBLY F

TYPE E	PROBABLY	ARTISTIC	LICENSE

TYPE F	PROBABLY	MINT	ERROR


CA GOLD	QUARTER DOLLARS	OCTAGONAL

BG NUMBER(S)	DATES	STARS	FACE	MAKER	COMMENTS

101	1853	9	OBV	FRONTIER AND DEVIERCY

102	1853	4	OBV	FRONTIER AND DEVIERCY

103-4	1854	4	OBV	FRONTIER AND DEVIERCY

105	1854	5	OBV	FRONTIER AND DEVIERCY

106	1855/4	4	OBV	FRONTIER AND DEVIERCY

107	1856	8	OBV	FRONTIER AND DEVIERCY

108-9	1854	11	OBV	A.L. NOUIZILLET

110-11	1854-5	12	OBV	A.L. NOUIZILLET

CA GOLD	QUARTER DOLLARS	ROUND

BG NUMBER(S)	DATES	STARS	FACE	MAKER	COMMENTS

203	N.D. 1852-3)	12	OBV	FRONTIER AND DEVIERCY

204	N.D.(1852-3)	12	OBV	FRONTIER AND DEVIERCY
		1	REV

205	N.D.(1852-3)	12	OBV	FRONTIER AND DEVIERCY
		2	REV

206	N.D.(1853)	10	OBV	FRONTIER AND DEVIERCY
		1	REV

207	N.D.(1853)	10	OBV	FRONTIER AND DEVIERCY
		2	REV

208-9	1853	10	OBV	FRONTIER AND DEVIERCY


210	1853	11	OBV	FRONTIER AND DEVIERCY

221	N.D.(1852-4)	11	OBV	A.L. NOUIZILLET
		1	REV

222-3	N.D.(1852-4)	12	OBV	A.L. NOUIZILLET
		1	REV

224	N.D.(1852-4)	12	OBV	A.L. NOUIZILLET

225-9	1855-6	10	OBV	A.L. NOUIZILLET

230	1856	12	OBV	A.L. NOUIZILLET

CA GOLD	HALF DOLLARS	OCTAGONAL

BG NUMBER(S)	DATES	STARS	FACE	MAKER	COMMENTS

303	1853	10	OBV	FRONTIER & DEVIERCY

304	1853	10	OBV	FRONTIER & DEVIERCY
		2	REV

305	1854	9	OBV	FRONTIER & DEVIERCY
		2	REV

306	1854	10	OBV	FRONTIER & DEVIERCY
		2	REV

307	1856	1	REV	FRONTIER & DEVIERCY

308	1854	1	REV	A.L. NOUIZILLET

CA GOLD	HALF DOLLARS	ROUND

BG NUMBER(S)	DATES	STARS	FACE	MAKER	COMMENTS

405-6	1855	12	OBV	FRONTIER & DEVIERCY	STAR COUNT NOT NOTED IN BREEN

415-16	1853	12	OBV	M. DERIBERPE	STAR COUNT NOT NOTED IN BREEN

417-19	1853	12	OBV	M. DERIBERPE	STAR COUNT NOT NOTED IN BREEN

420-1	1853	11	OBV	M. DERIBERPE	STAR COUNTNOT NOTED IN BREEN
					"D" REPLACES STAR IN 417-19?

422-3	1853-4	11	OBV	M. DERIBERPE	STAR COUNT NOT NOTED IN BREEN
		1	REV		"D" REPLACES STAR IN 417-19?

424	1854	14	OBV	M. DERIBERPE	ONLY > 13 STAR VARIETIES
		1	REV		IDENTIFIED, TYPE F?

425	1854	14	OBV	M. DERIBERPE	ONLY > 13 STAR VARIETIES
					IDENTIFIED, TYPE F?

428-30	1853	1	REV	A.L. NOUIZILLET

431	1854	11	OBV	A.L. NOUIZILLET
		1	REV

432-3	1855	1	REV	A.L. NOUIZILLET

434	1856	12	OBV	A.L. NOUIZILLET	STAR COUNT NOT NOTED IN BREEN

CA GOLD	DOLLARS	OCTAGONAL

BG NUMBER(S)	DATES	STARS	FACE	MAKER	COMMENTS

504	1854	2	REV	FRONTIER & DEVIERCY

505	1853	10	OBV	FRONTIER & DEVIERCY
		3	REV

506-7	1854	10	OBV	FRONTIER & DEVIERCY
		4	REV

508-9	1854	10	OBV	FRONTIER & DEVIERCY
		2	REV

510-11	1854-55/4	10	OBV	FRONTIER & DEVIERCY
		1	REV

512	1856	10	OBV	FRONTIER & DEVIERCY
		2	REV

513	1854	5	REV	UNCERTAIN

514-15	1853	8	OBV	M. DERIBERPE	STAR COUNT NOT NOTED IN BREEN

516-17	1853	8	OBV	M. DERIBERPE	OBV STAR COUNT NOT NOTED IN BREEN
		2	REV

518-24	1853	8	OBV	M. DERIBERPE	OBV STAR COUNT NOT NOTED IN BREEN
		2	REV

525-6	1853	8	OBV	M. DERIBERPE	OBV STAR COUNT NOT NOTED IN BREEN
		2	REV

527-9	1854	8	OBV	M. DERIBERPE	OBV STAR COUNT NOT NOTED IN BREEN
		2	REV

530-1	1853	2	REV	A.L. NOUIZILLET

534	1854	2	REV	UNKNOWN

CA GOLD	DOLLARS	ROUND

BG NUMBER(S)	DATES	STARS	FACE	MAKER	COMMENTS

605	1854	4	REV	UNKNOWN