Lot 133
1857 (Apr. 16) Auburn N.Y. to San Francisco Cal., buff envelope bearing 5¢ red brown (12) vertical pair, bright colors, margins to slightly in at top and lower right, tied by black grids, matching "Auburn N.Y. Apr. 16" c.d.s., addressed to the "U.S. Mint", minor edge wear, Very Fine. Illustrated in Frajola and Mayer, p. 38, fig. 4-10.
Estimate 2,000 - 3,000
With the California Gold Rush underway in 1849, the United States Mint was overwhelmed with the task of turning all the mined gold into coins. Also, transporting the gold to Philadelphia for coining was both time-consuming and hazardous. So in 1854, the United States Mint in San Francisco was opened.
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| Realized $3,750 |
