Alaska Rare Coins in Fairbanks has issued a new gold token from metal mined by Quasar Gold Corp.

ARC’s Dick Hanscom, editor of the Alaskan Token Collector & Polar Numismatist newsletter, explains the metal for the token is from Quasar Gold Corp.’s Shirley Bar Mine in the Hot Springs Mining District.

The claims are on the upper reaches of Rhode Island Creek, Gold Run and Glenn Creek, and the hillsides and ridges between these creeks.

Production for the 2025 token is from Rhode Island Creek.

General Refining Corp., headquartered in Hempstead, New York, assayed this gold at .7868 fine, with 20% silver content and the balance unknown.

Production

The obverse of the gold token features an ore cart as the central design device, with QUASAR GOLD CORP. inscribed around.

The reverse design illustrates a miner’s shovel and pickax at the 6 o’clock position with SHIRLEY BAR MINE inscribed around. At the center is the weight reflected as 1/DWT, meaning pennyweight, which translates to 1.55517 grams.

The dies for the gold token are made by hammer-punching in the lettering, with the ore cart pressed into the die using a screw press, according to Hanscom.

The tokens are then pressed on the screw press to a diameter of 14 to 15 millimeters.

“The gold for the tokens was purchased from an [ARC] employee,” according to Hanscom. “It was part of his bonus. I purchased 1 oz. and the balance was sent to GRC.”

The current mintage is 17 pieces, Handscom says, but more tokens could be made should additional gold become available.

The 17 tokens Hanscom has already produced are being made available at $190 each.

Hanscom can be reached by email at alaskararecoins@gmail.com, or online at https://www.alaskararecoins.com/.

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