Young Techies Recover the Greatest Treasure Ever Found:
See Recovery Footage Here
Early California Was a “Gold Dust” Economy
On December 5, 1848, in his annual message to Congress, President James Knox Polk stated that gold had been found in California, and in large quantities. Specimens were sent to the Philadelphia Mint for analysis, where the assayers found the metal to be of unbelievable quality. The Gold Rush was on!
Immigrants coming to California by land or sea brought pans, shovels, containers for gold,contraptions for processing gold, etc., but few thought to bring much in the way of money. Thus, by the summer of 1849 there were tens of thousands of newcomers in California, but not enough coins to go around. Trade was conducted in gold dust, such as a “pinch” as payment for a saloon libation. Thus the cliché, ”A little pinch’ll do.” Early California was a “gold dust” economy.
Obviously, dust was not a preferred form of money. It is difficult to count dust and also impossible to accurately measure value because of the varying purity of the raw gold. Historians’ estimate that during those times, gold in dust form would bring half as much as if it were in the form of coin that was issued by the United States Mint.
Private Mints & Assayers
Paper money was not used in the West and certainly not accepted in foreign exchange. Gold coins and bullion bars were money. The shortage of coins continued throughout the mid-I850s. Private minters and assayers, including Kellogg & Company, Moffat & Company and ED. Kohler, fulfilled the need for the manufacturing of money, transforming the raw gold ore, dust and nuggets into rectangular gold ingots or coins. Much like a bank, the reputation of the coin or ingot’s maker was a guarantee of value. To be successful, an assayer had to have a completely unblemished reputation, his word to be, literally, “as good as gold.”
Assaying was a very difficult process, and because of this, relatively few firms entered the business. Not only was a high degree of scientific expertise needed, but facilities were required for the melting and processing of gold not to speak of the storage of incoming gold as well as for ingots and coins prepared for customers.
As gold poured forth from the rivers, streams and hills of California, it made its way to assayers in San Francisco, Sacramento and Marysville… from there to distant points, most notably New York City and London. While coins were needed for the rapidly expanding western economy, both small and large monetary ingots, which were stamped with the U.S. Dollar value, were used to settle large domestic transactions and for international exchange.
Assayer Transaction
The California gold rush phenomenon warranted an efficient means for miners to convert their hard-earned raw gold into a form that was readily accepted. This necessity caused the advent of the private monetary ingots. Assayer ingots soon became the standard method to deal with the massive flow of new California gold.
First, a gold miner would stockpile a cache of raw gold dust and nuggets. Then, based on word–of-mouth reputation, location and fees, the miner would select one of the competing assaying offices. The miner would deposit his bag of gold and get a written receipt with the assayers’ inventory identification number and a gross weight. It was customary for the miners to return within 24 hours to pick up their refined gold.
The assayer would melt the raw gold and refine-out impurities and base metals such as iron. What remained was gold and silver. Gold ingots of this form arc called “unparted” gold ingots. The molten gold was poured into a mold of a size that corresponded to that miner’s lot size. After the bar cooled, the assayer would clip off two opposite corners of the bar to retain as his fee and also to use for the assaying process. Once assayed to determine the purity of gold, the precise weight and fineness (represented in thousandths) were stamped on the bar along with its unique I.D. serial number, which matched the miner’s receipt. Also, the assayer would stamp the exact U.S. Dollar value. This transformed bullion into a medium of exchange, which was easily accepted for large transaction domestically and internationally making it real money and numismatically important.
Numismatic Books
$1,500.00
SS Central America
LOT #5017 – SSCA AUCTION II – NEW YORK NEWS, STEAMER EDITION – FRAMED
$5,000.00
Liberty Gold
$3,975.00
Shipwreck Treasure Artifacts
$15,000.00
Shipwreck Treasure Artifacts
$495.00
Out of stock
Shipwreck Treasure Artifacts
1853-1856 SANTIAGO 50 CENTAVO SSCA CHILEAN PASSENGER COIN HOARD NGC-EVANS COA SHIPWRECK
$475.00
Out of stock
Shipwreck Treasure Artifacts
$4,975.00
Shipwreck Treasure Artifacts
$4,975.00
Shipwreck Treasure Artifacts
$4,750.00
Shipwreck Treasure Artifacts
$4,975.00
Shipwreck Treasure Artifacts
$7,975.00
Shipwreck Treasure Artifacts
$5,975.00
Shipwreck Treasure Artifacts
$5,975.00
Shipwreck Treasure Artifacts
$3,000.00
Shipwreck Treasure Artifacts
$8,750.00
Shipwreck Treasure Artifacts
$7,750.00
Historical Treasure
In a democracy like the United States, there is no king, pharaoh, or czar, and hence no crowns, royal jewels, or pharaohs’ tombs. Accumulated treasures that do exist in America are either public or private, including great collections of art or other important cultural relics. On rare occasions, a significant treasure may be accumulated accidentally, the result of a profound act of nature.
The sinking of the SS Central America created just such an accidental accumulation of treasure. Bound for New York with tons of gold ingots, coins, nuggets, and dust mined from the California gold fields, its loss created a unique time capsule of information and artifacts of an era in which the very character and spirit of America blossomed.
While many historical objects, accessories, ship components and other items recovered from the SS Central America are being preserved for study by institutions and others, there were enough gold ingots and coins that this became a historic national treasure that could be shared.
Thus, monetary ingots and coins of a quality and type that had rarely been seen before, and would have been unavailable generally at any cost, are being offered to an enthusiastic worldwide audience of museums, historians, and collectors. Special presentations of selected examples have been made to the American Numismatic Association, the California Historical Society, and other museums.
Deep Blue Sea Pedigreed
“The Greatest Treasure Ever Found” is what LIFE Magazine, March 1992, named the fantastic bounty of perfectly preserved early California gold numismatic relics. For 131 years, these historic treasures were lost in the frigid, lightless depths of the Atlantic, encapsulated (and perfectly preserved) in the wreck of a once elegant 19th century US Mail Steamship, the SS Central America. Using advanced scientific methodologies and inventions, the Columbus-America Discovery Group recovered the gold treasure trove, so massive that its loss in 1857 triggered a series of bank failures, referred to as “The Panic of ’57.”
The disaster is the greatest peacetime loss at sea in American history. The account of the bizarre story is so astonishing that The History Channel airs a documentary on the subject regularly. Other programs have run frequently including the Discovery Channel, Dateline and Morning Magazine, along with many newspaper and magazine accounts. Because the SS Central America’s rare treasures of the California Gold Rush symbolize classic Americana, and this true monetary gold was so well preserved in the state and place it was since 1857, collectors and investors are seizing the opportunity to acquire these rare and unique numismatic treasures.
What makes these gold rush artifacts superior numismatically and historically is that we know exactly where and how they have been preserved since 1857. More astonishing, they are the only important numismatic items where we actually have movie footage (thanks to the revolutionary underwater robot, NEMO) of the place in which they were stored almost 150 years ago.
Just as the name “Titanic” fosters emotion, the “Ship of Gold” will truly live on because of the fantastic historical retrospection. Keep in mind that Warner Brothers purchased the movie rights to the New York Times best seller Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea.
Adam Crum – President
Why Now?
…Because these special treasure pieces are unique, priceless, and symbolic of the historic cultures that created them. Most importantly, they are attainable… for now.
More than just a collection of precious metals, they represent the heart and soul of a nation created in a turbulent time when our country came of age. Accumulated treasures that do exist in America are either public or private, such as great collections of art or other important cultural relics. However, these tend to lack either the intrinsic monetary value or the national symbolism of traditional historic national treasures. On rare occasions, a significant historic treasure may be accumulated accidentally, the result of an act of nature, an act of God, or a twist of fate. The sinking and recovery of the SS Central America is just such a rare occasion. It offers you the opportunity to hold a piece of historic treasure in your private collection from the “Greatest Treasure Ever Found.”
The Importance of Assayers
Evaluating raw gold and determining its fineness (percentage of purity, expressed in thousandths, such as 930 fine), weight, and other characteristics involved considerable expertise, expensive equipment, security arrangements, and other considerations. Further, the changing of the raw gold into “convenient shapes,” i.e., coins or bars, had to be done by an individual or company whose integrity was such that the imprint on the gold ingots would be accepted without question in New York or London. Any assayer who proposed to set up a business would be subject to close scrutiny and criticism for the slightest mistake.
The assayers on the following tabs below were well known during the California gold rush days. Until the recovery of the S.S. Central America treasure, very few assayer bars remain from the mid 1800’s. Each of the assayer bars listed would be welcomed in any museum, but are now available to individual collectors. Contact Finest Known today to determine the availability of the ingots listed on the following tabs.
SSCA Ingot Recovery Inventory
Blake & Co.
Gorham Blake arrived in San Francisco on May 22, 1852, and gained employment as an express agent for Adams & Co., and later as a buyer of raw gold for Wells, Fargo & Co. In October 1853, he became an assayer. In late 1855, the partnership of Blake & Agrell, refiners and assayers, was established in Sacramento. As a part or Blake & Agrell, Gorham Blake assayed between 19,000 and 20,000 ounces of gold in six weeks, and became known for his assurances to pay the difference between the his own assays and those of the San Francisco Mint.
On December 28, 1855, 26 year old Gorham Blake, now an experienced assayer, founded Blake & Co. His reputation and previous success helped him establish his new enterprise, and by the end of 1856, Blake & Co. had assayed 200,000 ounces of gold and had become one of the primary assayers in that district of California.
Price: Begins at $250,000 (Subject to availability)
Blake & Co. Gold Ingots Recovered from the S.S. Central America
Serial# Wt. Fineness 1857 Value
5190 4.95 Oz. 795 $81.34
5217 5.80 Oz. 851 $102.03
5221 7.16 Oz. 791 $117.07
5220 7.16 Oz. 835 $123.58
5219 8.25 Oz. 860 $146.66
5280 9.56 Oz. 817 $161.45
5189 11.04 Oz. 860 $196.26
5228 12.09 Oz. 867 $216.68
5225 13.35 Oz. 791 $218.28
5216 14.07 Oz. 915 $266.12
5229 14.31 Oz. 604 $178.67
5213 16.75 Oz. 722 $249.99
5223 16.78 Oz 935 $306.93
5186 17.13 Oz. 847 $299.92
5226 17.78 Oz. 951 $349.53
5211 18.95 Oz. 917 $359.21
5195 19.15 Oz. 892 $353.11
5215 19.19 Oz. 866 $343.53
5196 19.30 Oz. 746 $297.62
5222 21.46 Oz. 580 $257.29
5191 23.06 Oz. 752 $358.47
5187 29.72 Oz. 842 $517.29
5192 30.32 Oz. 665 $416.80
5232 30.41 Oz. 817 $513.59
5197 32.08 Oz. 816 $541.13
5185 33.10 Oz. 586 $400.94
2531 37.74 Oz. 819 $638.94
5198 42.19 Oz. 817 $712.54
5224 54.67 Oz. 798 $901.83
5183 63.77 Oz. 875 $1,153.46
5194 64.19 Oz. 805 $1,068.17
5212 96.62 Oz. 899 $1,795.58
5214 103.50 Oz. 914 $1,955.53
5233 157.40 Oz. 816 $2,655.05
Harris, Marchand & Co
The firm of Harris, Marchand & Company was established on October 3, 1855, and was located on 107 J Street in Sacramento, California. On October 4, 1855, the Sacramento Union announced: “An assay office, the likes of which in this city has long been a source of delay and expense to our citizens-has been established by Harris, Marchand & Co., on J Street, between 4th and 5th Streets. We visited their establishment yesterday-the first of active operations-and were shown specimens of their labor, ingots Nos. 1 and 2.” On January 1, 1856, the Sacramento Union commented on the success of the firm: “…they have 381 deposits, representing 16,899 1/2 ounces. The lowest pay per ounce was $12.65, the highest $20.11.”
The firm opened another office in Marysville, California on January 9, 1856. Their office was located on E Street, and the principles were listed as H. Harris, melter and refiner; D. Marchand, assayer; and I.M. Merrill, treasurer and business agent. By December 31, 1856, the firm had assayed 72,105 ounces of gold.
Price: Begins at $175,000 (Subject to availability)
Harris, Marchand & Co. Ingots Recovered from the S.S. Central America
Serial# Wt. Fineness 1857 Value
6522 9.87 Oz. 777 $158.53
6472 10.07 Oz. 847 $176.31
6506 11.22 Oz. 763 $177.43
6490 11.43 Oz. 897 $211.94
6512 11.53 Oz. 835 $199.01
6486 12.64 Oz. 950 $245.00
6488 13.52 Oz. 807 $225.54
6528 13.78 Oz. 914 $260.35
6466 17.02 Oz. 813 $286.04
6508 17.48 Oz. 885 $319.78
6456 17.57 Oz. 847 $307.63
6510 18.41 Oz. 712 $270.96
6474 19.20 Oz. 727 $288.54
6278 19.60 Oz. 742 $300.63
6460 21.93 Oz. 721 $326.85
6524 22.52 Oz. 878 $408.73
6496 22.66 Oz. 845 $395.81
6478 22.85 Oz. 829 $391.58
6470 22.92 Oz. 917 $434.37
6446 23.35 Oz. 897 $432.96
6502 32.45 Oz. 907 $608.41
6480 32.54 Oz. 917 $616.83
6492 32.72 Oz. 900 $608.74
6514 35.33 Oz. 807 $589.38
6484 43.95 Oz. 932 $846.35
6468 51.00 Oz. 880 $927.75
6526 55.05 Oz. 875 $995.73
6520 55.48 Oz. 928 $1,064.30
6476 56.65 Oz. 856 $1,002.42
6462 65.15 Oz. 876 $1,179.76
6494 77.95 Oz. 878 $1,414.78
6516 112.10 Oz. 878 $2,034.60
6518 129.30 Oz. 884 $2,362.81
6500 149.35 Oz. 890 $2,747.72
7095 174.04 Oz. 942 $3,389.06
6504 195.70 Oz. 945 $3,822.97
6458 295.20 Oz. 877 $5,351.73
*6538 14.52 Oz. 682 $204.70
*6536 14.70 Oz. 731 $222.13
*6542 25.18 Oz. 893 $470.02
*2014 Recovery
Please note that all of the gold assayer ingots from the original treasure have now been sold to primary buyers. However, Finest Known continues to maintain an active secondary market in these rarities and makes them available to collectors and investors as these items become available. If you have assayer ingots or other treasure items recovered from the S.S. Central America and may be interested in selling them, please contact Finest Known… we want to make you an offer!
Assay Office of Henry Hentsch
In 1856, 21 year old Henry Hentsch set up banking office in San Francisco. In its February 2, 1856 edition, the Alta California announced, “ASSAY OFFICE OF HENRY HENTSCH. Northwest corner of Montgomery and Jackson Streets. I have this day annexed to my Banking Establishment an Assay Office, and am prepared to carry on this business in all its branches. All orders confided to my care will be executed with promptness, and I will guarantee my assays. H. Hentsch. San Francisco.”
Hentsch listed sundry international references that included prominent banking firms such as Morris, Prevost & Co., London; Melly, Romilly & Co., Liverpool; Mathieu Hentsch & Co., Paris; and Hentsch & Co., Geneva, Switzerland. At the time, European banks were major destinations for California gold ingots and bars, and these international endorsements no doubt attracted depositors with such customers in mind. The Hentsch bars that were part of the S.S. Central America shipment were most likely bound for the Hentsch family banks in London, Paris, or Geneva. Although most of the ingots never made it to their final destination, amazingly one did. Benedict Hentsch participated in the Christie’s S.S. Central America Auction in December 2000 and acquired a Hentsch ingot for display in the Darier Hentsch Banks in Geneva, which have been in business since 1796.
Price: Begins at $250,000 (Subject to availability)
Henry Hentsch Gold Ingots Recovered from the S.S. Central America
Serial# Wt. Fineness 1857 Value
3068 12.52 Oz. 973 $251.82
3229 22.60 Oz. 862 $402.71
3160 22.88 Oz. 854 $403.91
3130 26.96 Oz. 890 $496.00
3228 28.27 Oz. 874 $510.75
3227 31.72 Oz. 911 $597.35
3129 33.93 Oz. 875 $613.72
3230 38.45 Oz. 846 $672.42
3067 43.50 Oz. 850 $790.25
3212 45.00 Oz. 914 $850.28
3072 51.19 Oz. 849 $898.40
3119 57.53 Oz. 865 $1,029.59
3112 59.75 Oz. 878 $1,084.45
3120 61.93 Oz. 886 $1,134.26
3220 63.30 Oz. 873 $1,142.34
3215 64.28 Oz. 889 $1,181.29
3124 66.78 Oz. 880 $1,214.80
3095 67.91 Oz. 891 $1,250.80
3211 70.00 Oz. 843 N/A
3161 71.88 Oz. 912 $1,355.13
3099 72.12 Oz. 898 $1,338.78
3113 83.54 Oz. 849 $1,466.16
3114 93.15 Oz. 831 $1,600.15
3214 110.00 Oz. 904 $1,931.71
3144 118.17 Oz. 812 $1,983.54
3115 118.19 Oz. 863 $2,108.48
3218 145.20 Oz. 886 $2,659.36
3125 154.23 Oz. 893 $2,847.07
3066 172.60 Oz. 900 $3,211.15
3213 176.25 Oz. 894 $3,257.20
3219 181.70 Oz. 912 $3,425.53
3244 218.68 Oz. 891 $4,027.77
3123 238.84 Oz. 903 $4,458.35
*3246 24.17 938 $468.66
*3127 58.56 920 $1,113.69
*3128 88.15 815 $1,485.10
*3225 119.45 873 $2,155.65
*3243 319.22 892 $5,886.19
*2014 Recovery
Please note that all of the gold assayer ingots from the original treasure have now been sold to primary buyers. However, Finest Known continues to maintain an active secondary market in these rarities and makes them available to collectors and investors as these items become available. If you have assayer ingots or other treasure items recovered from the S.S. Central America and may be interested in selling them, please contact Finest Known… we want to make you an offer!
Justh & Hunter
Emanuel Justh, a lithographer by trade, started work in 1854 with the newly formed San Francisco Mint. In May 1855, five days after leaving the Mint, Justh and his partner Solomon Hunter formed an assaying partnership on Montgomery Street in San Francisco. The business was announced in the May 15, 1855 edition of the Alta California with a letter of recommendation from San Francisco Mint Superintendent Louis Birdsall and U.S. Assayer Agoston Haraszthy. Birdsall and Harazthy cited Justh as a “competent and faithful assayer;” although prior to his year’s experience at the Mint, Justh had never had any metalwork or chemistry on his resume.
The Justh & Hunter enterprise was very successful; the partners assayed millions of dollars worth of gold in just over two years, and opened a Marysville office in May 1856. Justh & Hunter took on another partner in 1857, but the new partnership didn’t work out and the two men reformed their partnership on August 15, 1857. Justh & Hunter attracted business by paying out freshly minted San Francisco double eagles, no doubt acquired through Justh’s former associates at the Mint.
There were two distinct groups of Justh & Hunter bars aboard the S.S. Central America; those with serial numbers in the 4000 range and those in the 9000 range. The possibility that one set of serial numbers represents the first Justh & Hunter partnership and the second set of serial numbers represents the second partnership is speculated but not confirmed. Little known among numismatists until the discovery of the S.S. Central America treasure, Justh & Hunter was obviously a well-respected and well-connected enterprise despite their comparative lack of experience. It is interesting to note that four of the five largest bars discovered on board the S.S. Central America were assayed by Justh & Hunter, which is a tribute to their reputation among major depositors.
Price: Begins at $100,000 (Subject to availability)
Justh & Hunter Gold Ingots Recovered from the S.S. Central America
Serial# Wt. Fineness 1857 Value
4216 5.24 Oz. 851 $92.18
4270 5.56 Oz. 854 $98.15
4208 5.76 Oz. 860 $102.40
4285 7.67 Oz. 797 $126.36
4267 15.31 Oz. 876 $277.21
4251 16.83 Oz. 864 $300.59
4346 18.60 Oz. 893 $343.35
9522 19.34 Oz. 891 $356.21
4351 19.87 Oz. 889 $365.15
4242 20.35 Oz. 892 $375.20
4280 20.93 Oz. 907 $392.42
4268 22.28 Oz. 871 $401.16
4343 22.83 Oz. 883 $416.72
4341 23.00 Oz. 890 $423.15
9523 24.63 Oz. 893 $454.66
4288 25.55 Oz. 926 $489.08
9524 26.02 Oz. 884 $475.48
4259 27.63 Oz. 948 $541.46
4329 27.90 Oz. 894 $515.61
9497 28.13 Oz. 922 $536.14
9498 29.83 Oz. 895 $551.89
4271 30.26 Oz. 838 $524.19
4333 30.70 Oz. 885 $561.64
4339 34.40 Oz. 893 $635.02
4331 35.00 Oz. N/A N/A
4302 35.17 Oz. 942 $684.86
9520 36.08 Oz. 914 $681.69
9494 41.47 Oz. 889 $762.10
9440 41.79 Oz. 881 $761.07
4262 42.06 Oz. 836 $726.86
4312 49.59 Oz. 916 $939.00
4335 50.50 Oz. 883 $921.78
4317 51.32 Oz. 828 $878.40
4215 51.43 Oz. N/A N/A
4243 51.98 Oz. 916 $984.26
9435 52.33 Oz. 911 $985.47
4277 52.73 Oz. 950 $1,035.52
4276 55.45 Oz. 933 $1,069.45
4202 56.56 Oz. 888 $1,038.24
4340 56.52 Oz. 869 $1,015.31
9487 58.07 Oz. 891 $1,069.56
9485 60.00 Oz. 891 N/A
4347 60.15 Oz. 925 $1,150.12
4273 66.43 Oz. 887 $1,218.05
4345 75.27 Oz. 891 $1,386.36
9484 83.35 Oz. 900 $1,550.69
4342 85.45 Oz. 896 $1,582.70
4200 85.49 Oz. 886 $1,565.76
4278 90.95 Oz. 888 $1,669.53
4336 94.39 Oz. 894 $1,744.38
4311 96.00 Oz. 773 $1,539.13
9501 97.53 Oz. 883 $1,780.23
4332 99.60 Oz. 896 $1,844.79
4293 106.08 Oz. 887 $1,945.07
9442 106.15 Oz. 915 $2,007.79
4185 109.18 Oz. 884 $1,995.14
4281 112.38 Oz. 912 $2,118.60
4272 118.86 Oz. 878 $2,157.29
9436 126.53 Oz. 876 $2,291.26
9439 133.23 Oz. 912 $2,511.74
4244 144.25 Oz. 886 $2,641.96
None 150.00 Oz. N/A N/A
9489 159.23 Oz. 932 $3,067.74
4257 160.64 Oz. 891 $2,958.76
4250 179.50 Oz. 886 $3,287.57
None 185.21 Oz. N/A N/A
4330 185.88 Oz. 931 $3,577.35
9526 195.76 Oz. N/A $3,381.35
4258 197.26 Oz. 898 $3,661.79
9437 242.87 Oz. 886 $4,448.21
9438 243.77 Oz. 883 $4,449.58
9510 253.13 Oz. 906 $4,740.80
4328 255.25 Oz. 943 N/A
4282 266.88 Oz. 935 $5,158.30
9434 266.97 Oz. 906 $5,000.00
9496 327.97 Oz. 909 $6,162.78
9521 464.65 Oz. 912 $8,759.90
4254 568.07 Oz. 917 $10,768.39
4255 598.08 Oz. 897 $11,089.95
4253 649.15 Oz. 875 $11,741.76
4252 652.84 Oz. 896 $12,091.90
4220 676.22 Oz. 913 $12,762.57
4050 715.85 Oz. 906 $13,406.93
4051 754.95 Oz. 900 $14,045.54
4221 866.19 Oz. 892 $15,971.93
*4338 7.54 741 $115.49
*4322 30.83 839 $534.70
*4209 36.61 820 $620.57
*4307 51.78 889 $951.57
*4279 113.55 924 $2,168.89
*4274 142.70 868 $2,560.49
*9483 313.54 89? $5,774.96
*2014 Recovery
Please note that all of the gold assayer ingots from the original treasure have now been sold to primary buyers. However, Finest Known continues to maintain an active secondary market in these rarities and makes them available to collectors and investors as these items become available. If you have assayer ingots or other treasure items recovered from the S.S. Central America and may be interested in selling them, please contact Finest Known . . . we want to make you an offer!
Kellogg & Humbert
In September 1850, Congress authorized the secretary of the Treasury to contract “with proprietors of some well-established works now in successful operation in California” to affix the stamp of the United States to bars and ingots, to assay gold and assign values to them. Moffat & Co. received the commission and appointed Augustus Humbert to become the U.S. Assayer of Gold. Humbert’s name and title were imprinted on coins issued under the government contract until 1852.
John Kellogg, a lawyer by trade, caught gold fever and arrived in San Francisco in October 1849. Kellogg secured a position with Moffat & Co. and remained with them during the operation of the U.S. Assay Office of Gold. Kellogg became a well-known name in San Francisco, having established several assaying partnerships in the early 1850’s, as well as striking a large number of gold coins in 1854 and 1855.
In the spring of 1855, John Kellogg and Augustus Humbert formed an assay office partnership, bringing together two of the best-known names in the San Francisco gold business. Augustus Humbert was such a prominent name in the gold industry that he was described, in the October 23, 1855 edition of the Alta California, as “a man who has done more than any single person we know of for the state.”
Gold bars issued by Kellogg partnerships were held in very high esteem, and most were shipped to New York or London. The treasure trove of Kellogg & Humbert monetary ingots, over 340 recovered from the S.S. Central America, confirms the historical record of how important the company, and the men who ran it, were to the exploding California economy during the Gold Rush era.
Price: Begins at $85,000 (Subject to availability)
Kellogg & Humbert Gold Ingots Recovered from the S.S. Central America
Serial# Wt. Fineness 1857 Value
481 5.71 Oz. 856 $101.03
617 5.80 Oz. 784 $93.99
630 8.21 Oz. 858 $145.61
671 8.75 Oz. 878 $158.81
737 8.99 Oz. 844 $156.84
976 9.14 Oz. 798 $150.77
661 9.48 Oz. 880 $172.45
856 9.58 Oz. 846 $167.53
455 9.74 Oz. 874 $175.97
768 9.56 Oz. 803 $158.69
487 10.35 Oz. 865 $185.06
740 11.03 Oz. 914 $208.27
847 11.68 Oz. 913 $220.44
598 11.97 Oz. 812 $200.92
984 13.06 Oz. 891 $240.54
654 13.14 Oz. 866 $235.22
1029 13.52 Oz. 905 $252.98
843 14.00 Oz. 844 $244.25
402 14.02 Oz. 889 $257.46
791 14.28 Oz. 854 $252.09
755 14.58 Oz. 893 $269.14
229 14.80 Oz. 837 $256.07
216 15.84 Oz. 941 $308.12
752 16.74 Oz. 732 $253.30
651 16.80 Oz. 883 $306.65
914 16.94 Oz. 900 $315.16
249 17.12 Oz. 881 $311.78
597 17.35 Oz. 879 $315.25
412 17.36 Oz. 951 $341.27
463 18.03 Oz. 929 $357.77
739 18.15 Oz. 891 $334.29
616 18.25 Oz. 879 $331.61
816 18.35 Oz. 911 $345.56
818 18.36 Oz. 897 $340.44
706 18.38 Oz. 894 $339.67
868 18.79 Oz. 892 $346.47
618 19.20 Oz. 856 $339.74
709 19.31 Oz. 770 $307.36
631 19.76 Oz. 662 $270.40
629 20.18 Oz. 881 $367.51
251 20.58 Oz. 867 $368.84
492 20.81 Oz. 899 $386.73
979 21.02 Oz. 883 $383.68
741 21.21 Oz. 795 $348.56
869 21.30 Oz. 843 $372.22
878 21.31 Oz. 866 $381.48
606 22.12 Oz. 908 $415.19
282 22.37 Oz. 910 $420.81
110 22.85 Oz. 893 $421.80
852 23.08 Oz. 861 $410.78
674 23.29 Oz. 875 $421.26
553 23.33 Oz. 764 $368.46
810 23.34 Oz. 898 $433.26
738 23.35 Oz. 917 $442.62
493 23.46 Oz. 864 $419.00
543 23.77 Oz. 860 $422.57
934 23.90 Oz. 855 $422.41
714 25.05 Oz. 804 $416.33
610 26.17 Oz. 888 $480.39
879 26.19 Oz. 889 $481.30
999 26.30 Oz. 884 $480.60
635 27.24 Oz. 856 $482.01
743 27.83 Oz. 896 $515.46
862 28.02 Oz. 888 $514.35
579 28.20 Oz. 886 $516.48
792 28.66 Oz. 955 $565.79
609 28.83 Oz. 761 $453.53
742 29.04 Oz. 903 $542.08
786 29.60 Oz. 845 $517.04
815 30.89 Oz. 848 $541.49
712 31.02 Oz. 909 $582.88
762 31.57 Oz. 803 $582.77
921 31.62 Oz. 907 $592.85
250 31.69 Oz. 881 $577.13
837 33.02 Oz. 883 $602.72
611 33.56 Oz. 827 $573.72
546 33.85 Oz. 891 $623.60
942 34.08 Oz. 929 $654.47
809 34.70 Oz. 861 $617.60
872 34.84 Oz. 853 $614.33
715 34.94 Oz. 855 $617.54
884 35.33 Oz. 888 $648.53
859 36.09 Oz. 851 $634.88
1028 36.40 Oz. 825 $620.77
793 36.45 Oz. 932 $702.24
834 36.77 Oz. 880 $668.89
367 37.08 Oz. 784 $600.94
702 37.32 Oz. 909 $701.26
461 37.33 Oz. 910 $702.22
1001 37.71 Oz. 887 $691.44
415 38.33 Oz. 882 $698.85
817 38.58 Oz. 811 $646.78
694 38.67 Oz. 913 $729.83
554 38.68 Oz. 864 $690.84
838 38.76 Oz. 892 $714.70
619 38.85 Oz. 882 $708.33
700 39.19 Oz. 904 $732.35
460 39.27 Oz. 901 $731.41
803 39.74 Oz. 887 $728.66
658 39.77 Oz. 799 $656.87
246 40.09 Oz. 889 $736.74
599 40.12 Oz. 900 $746.41
648 40.56 Oz. 887 $743.70
612 40.64 Oz. 925 $777.09
253 41.19 Oz. 896 $762.92
716 41.90 Oz. 897 $776.93
701 43.39 Oz. 911 $817.12
644 43.58 Oz. 900 $810.78
633 43.87 Oz. 878 $796.23
699 44.09 Oz. 926 $843.97
719 44.35 Oz. 794 $727.93
774 44.87 Oz. 829 $768.93
854 45.19 Oz. 893 $834.20
944 45.23 Oz. 871 $814.37
923 45.30 Oz. 933 $873.69
888 46.13 Oz. 856 $816.27
614 46.41 Oz. 871 $835.62
945 46.53 Oz. 923 $887.79
578 46.80 Oz. 888 $859.08
1017 47.40 Oz. 849 $831.88
953 47.81 Oz. 948 $936.92
943 47.86 Oz. 912 $902.29
160 47.95 Oz. 883 $875.24
948 48.03 Oz. 896 $889.61
550 48.05 Oz. 949 $942.62
922 48.05 Oz. 933 $926.78
634 48.30 Oz. 840 $838.69
787 48.48 Oz. 794 $795.72
947 48.65 Oz. 780 $784.43
711 48.70 Oz. 889 $894.97
643 48.74 Oz. 809 $815.10
784 48.91 Oz. 855 $864.43
827 49.02 Oz. 933 $945.44
894 49.74 Oz. 932 $958.29
652 49.98 Oz. 810 $836.87
825 50.42 Oz. 769 $801.51
876 50.50 Oz. 883 $921.78
909 50.50 Oz. 870 $908.21
842 52.29 Oz. 861 $930.67
949 52.37 Oz. 865 $936.43
657 52.82 Oz. 902 $984.88
622 53.05 Oz. 883 $968.33
776 53.09 Oz. 873 $958.08
215 53.60 Oz. 944 $1,045.96
779 54.07 Oz. 909 $1,016.01
341 54.08 Oz. 948 $1,069.80
607 54.46 Oz. 879 $989.56
824 55.02 Oz. 858 $975.85
623 55.21 Oz. 835 $952.97
551 55.40 Oz. 841 $963.12
673 55.44 Oz. 878 $1,006.23
545 55.82 Oz. 907 $1,046.59
230 56.11 Oz. 865 $1,003.30
552 56.25 Oz. 908 $1,055.81
950 56.50 Oz. 863 $1,007.94
788 56.87 Oz. 891 $1,047.46
794 56.91 Oz. 880 $1,035.26
507 57.42 Oz. 948 $1,125.25
366 57.90 Oz. 870 $1,041.30
717 58.41 Oz. 911 $1,099.97
785 58.77 Oz. 885 $1,075.17
549 59.41 Oz. 863 $1,059.86
933 59.69 Oz. 882 $1,088.30
1006 59.73 Oz. 842 $1,036.64
705 60.48 Oz. 887 $1,108.95
766 61.89 Oz. 905 $1,157.83
704 61.95 Oz. 901 $1,153.83
464 64.08 Oz. 837 $1,108.73
1004 64.55 Oz. 907 $1,210.27
880 65.47 Oz. 864 $1,169.32
691 65.51 Oz. 937 $1,268.89
955 65.85 Oz. 891 $1,212.86
479 66.50 Oz. 890 $1,223.46
459 66.59 Oz. 811 $1,116.37
636 66.59 Oz. 889 $1,223.74
855 67.46 Oz. 861 $1,200.68
836 68.02 Oz. 868 $1,220.48
920 68.11 Oz. 886 $1,247.44
896 68.37 Oz. 872 $1,232.42
718 69.25 Oz. 886 $1,268.32
857 69.55 Oz. 796 $1,144.42
548 69.72 Oz. 893 $1,287.02
720 70.13 Oz. 902 $1,307.64
952 70.24 Oz. 897 $1,302.43
790 70.52 Oz. 794 $1,157.46
733 71.07 Oz. 894 $1,313.41
899 73.98 Oz. 816 $1,247.90
789 75.64 Oz. 826 $1,291.54
595 75.74 Oz. 824 $1,290.12
797 79.58 Oz. 930 $1,529.90
807 81.60 Oz. 859 $1,448.97
703 82.81 Oz. 876 $1,499.56
750 87.81 Oz. 870 $1,579.21
826 85.35 Oz. 896 $1,580.85
924 86.36 Oz. 903 $1,612.05
248 87.17 Oz. 923 $1,663.21
596 89.96 Oz. 935 $1,738.76
846 90.42 Oz. 907 $1,695.32
975 91.73 Oz. 887 $1,681.95
867 92.74 Oz. 876 $1,679.38
831 93.10 Oz. 860 $1,655.11
1031 93.84 Oz. 890 $1,726.45
697 95.83 Oz. 888 $1,759.11
908 95.89 Oz. 932 $1,847.42
600 96.65 Oz. 812 $1,622.31
1027 96.79 Oz. 906 $1,812.75
893 97.10 Oz. 892 $1,790.45
835 97.16 Oz. 921 $1,849.80
981 97.19 Oz. 875 $1,757.96
547 97.50 Oz. 889 $1,791.78
1030 97.77 Oz. 896 $1,810.89
895 97.89 Oz. 908 $1,837.39
1037 98.29 Oz. 875 $1,777.87
480 98.32 Oz. 880 $1,788.55
653 98.63 Oz. 862 $1,756.50
627 100.62 Oz. 878 $1,826.24
723 101.55 Oz. 903 $1,895.60
800 101.67 Oz. 873 $1,834.78
615 102.17 Oz. 903 $1,907.17
690 102.44 Oz. 929 $1,967.26
954 103.85 Oz. 918 $1,970.72
806 103.96 Oz. 896 $1,925.54
941 104.47 Oz. 853 $1,842.12
958 104.59 Oz. 876 $1,893.96
621 107.76 Oz. 871 $1,940.24
710 107.87 Oz. 941 $2,098.30
907 108.44 Oz. 892 $1,999.55
283 108.79 Oz. 868 $1,952.04
946 109.55 Oz. 895 $2,026.81
980 110.23 Oz. 878 $2,000.66
603 110.77 Oz. 903 $2,067.71
458 111.63 Oz. 899 $2,074.53
685 111.63 Oz. 896 $2,067.61
566 111.96 Oz. 914 $2,115.38
639 112.03 Oz. 881 $2,040.27
687 112.23 Oz. 912 $2,115.83
796 113.95 Oz. 912 $2,148.26
808 114.65 Oz. 890 $2,109.31
675 115.35 Oz. 899 $2,143.66
625 116.40 Oz. 883 $2,124.67
722 117.73 Oz. 926 $2,253.59
731 117.99 Oz. 831 $2,026.86
727 118.62 Oz. 884 $2,167.65
959 118.67 Oz. 882 $2,136.66
466 119.00 Oz. 916 $2,253.31
632 120.77 Oz. 684 $1,707.63
814 121.16 Oz. 863 $2,161.47
983 121.29 Oz. 871 $2,183.85
951 121.61 Oz. 891 $2,254.26
775 122.30 Oz. 876 $2,214.66
601 123.15 Oz. 909 $2,314.07
670 124.13 Oz. 871 $2,234.98
897 124.98 Oz. 902 $2,330.37
620 125.05 Oz. 860 $2,230.22
913 125.57 Oz. 896 $2,325.80
882 126.44 Oz. 848 $2,216.45
363 127.31 Oz. 890 $2,342.23
558 128.13 Oz. 894 $2,367.91
801 128.91 Oz. 910 $2,424.97
890 130.68 Oz. 898 $2,425.85
956 130.98 Oz. 910 $2,463.91
892 131.09 Oz. 898 $2,433.46
783 131.40 Oz. 856 $2,325.13
501 135.33 Oz. 898 $2,512.17
957 136.30 Oz. 892 $2,513.27
637 136.65 Oz. 892 $2,519.73
887 137.29 Oz. 886 $2,514.49
798 142.89 Oz. 902 $2,655.00
724 142.99 Oz. 902 $2,666.19
799 144.97 Oz. 891 $2,670.14
902 145.29 Oz. 942 $2,829.21
997 147.56 Oz. 884 $2,696.49
504 150.32 Oz. 892 $2,771.79
469 150.56 Oz. 863 $2,685.96
482 152.96 Oz. 886 $2,801.49
910 152.98 Oz. 920 $2,909.38
885 154.04 Oz. 881 $2,805.36
939 154.09 Oz. 885 $2,819.01
695 155.03 Oz. 872 $2,794.53
725 155.58 Oz. 895 $2,878.43
1000 158.21 Oz. 901 $2,946.70
726 158.53 Oz. 906 $2,969.06
728 160.05 Oz. 884 $2,924.73
782 160.52 Oz. 865 $2,870.27
903 162.25 Oz. 894 $2,998.47
692 164.08 Oz. 945 $3,205.28
845 164.47 Oz. 909 $3,090.50
985 165.83 Oz. 876 $3,002.93
759 172.11 Oz. 895 $3,184.25
861 174.73 Oz. 875 $3,160.49
904 175.29 Oz. 898 $3,253.96
672 178.43 Oz. 882 $3,253.24
960 179.84 Oz. 904 $3,360.72
721 181.58 Oz. 925 $3,472.06
456 183.16 Oz. 895 $3,388.69
212 184.09 Oz. 908 $3,455.36
467 186.29 Oz. 896 $3,450.46
961 186.55 Oz. 885 $3,412.85
686 190.10 Oz. 904 $3,552.45
301 190.87 Oz. 880 $3,472.15
813 192.08 Oz. 842 $3,343.28
849 193.40 Oz. 906 $3,622.13
734 195.33 Oz. 864 $3,488.69
978 197.41 Oz. 882 $3,599.29
562 198.03 Oz. 859 $3,516.43
457 205.58 Oz. 875 $3,718.51
962 208.10 Oz. 874 $3,759.78
940 212.82 Oz. 888 $3,906.65
666 214.46 Oz. 911 $4,038.71
802 217.07 Oz. 885 $3,971.20
758 218.50 Oz. 903 $4,078.67
735 226.38 Oz. 884 $4,136.84
770 226.87 Oz. 891 $4,178.62
756 227.89 Oz. 903 $4,253.95
781 228.74 Oz. 862 $4,075.94
828 233.91 Oz. 908 $4,390.49
696 238.10 Oz. 906 $4,459.30
626 239.21 Oz. 915 $4,524.58
915 242.80 Oz. 883 $4,431.87
757 254.75 Oz. 907 $4,776.40
745 277.69 Oz. 925 $5,309.82
730 279.00 Oz. 872 $5,029.19
505 287.17 Oz. 887 $5,265.52
780 304.69 Oz. 941 $5,926.89
1002 308.49 Oz. 894 $5,701.08
471 319.88 Oz. 939 $6,209.12
384 326.07 Oz. 892 $6,012.50
805 374.24 Oz. 897 $6,939.38
900 381.33 Oz. 889 $7,007.81
906 385.23 Oz. 926 $7,374.11
898 396.91 Oz. 834 $6,842.84
689 401.97 Oz. 928 $7,711.19
881 418.92 Oz. 909 $7,871.80
561 442.05 Oz. 840 $7,675.88
905 448.43 Oz. 951 $8,815.64
963 457.75 Oz. 886 $8,383.78
901 490.32 Oz. 865 $8,767.46
829 540.13 Oz. 858 $9,579.96
830 551.48 Oz. 879 $10,020.66
555 584.95 Oz. 894 $10,810.22
804 662.28 Oz. 893 $12,225.62
1003 933.94 Oz. 903 $17,433.57
*833 13.59 843 $236.82
*713 13.78 883 $251.52
*613 17.20 850 $302.22
*707 20.07 967 $401.19
*912 20.43 899 $379.67
*656 24.58 892 $453.23
*832 25.19 873 $454.59
*1009 26.64 884 $486.81
*544 27.33 875 $494.34
*777 27.87 872 $502.37
*708 32.15 882 $586.17
*763 39.67 890 $729.84
*1008 41.62 892 $767.44
*911 42.44 875 $767.65
*491 48.70 871 $876.85
*761 61.41 901 $1,143.77
*760 75.90 900 $1,412.08
*503 89.33 889 $1,641.64
*889 92.80 843 $1,617.16
*1014 92.83 879 $1,686.76
*863 96.50 891 $1,777.39
*764 102.36 889 $1,881.10
*490 106.85 857 $1,889.39
*1018 113.74 870 $2,045.55
*646 138.83 870 $2,496.67
*641 157.04 874 $2,837.27
*1010 167.53 881 $3,051.03
*848 174.82 895 $3,234.39
*684 197.19 882 $3,595.28
*663 298.81 882 $5,448.08
*2014 Recovery
Please note that all of the gold assayer ingots from the original treasure have now been sold to primary buyers. However, Finest Known continues to maintain an active secondary market in these rarities and makes them available to collectors and investors as these items become available. If you have assayer ingots or other treasure items recovered from the S.S. Central America and may be interested in selling them, please contact Finest Known . . . we want to make you an offer!