What Was the First Coin Struck from California Gold?
The April 2022 edition of , the Utah Numismatic Society’s monthly newsletter, continues a tradition of insightful features contributed by member Doug Nyholm, the editor and publisher for the past 100-plus issues. This time it is an exploration of what coin was the first struck of California gold. Was it the U.S. 1848 CAL. quarter eagle, the California Territorial 1849 Norris, Gregg & Norris half eagle, or the 1849 Mormon $10 piece? Nyholm documents that the honor goes to the Mormon piece, first struck on Dec. 12, 1949, while coinage of the 1849 CAL. quarter eagles “likely began soon after” the Dec. 8 receipt of the first gold shipment Philadelphia. His article also notes that the honors as the first $20
