Boiselle sent images of the discovery piece to noted California fractional gold expert Mike Locke (www.calgoldcoin.com/) for confirmation.

“There is no doubt that it is a new, currently unique variety,” Locke confirmed in an email to Coin World. “The reverse die impression has not been seen before.

“I have provided pictures to Bob Leonard [https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/PersonDetail/1227] and tentatively assigned a number of BG-799Va (BG-799VA?).”

Leonard is one of six co-authors of the second edition of California Pioneer Fractional Gold (2003), based on the original reference of the same name by Walter Breen and Ronald J. Gillio. Gillio was joined in the research for the second edition by Leonard, Jay Roe, Jack Totheroh, and Robert B. and Richard A. Lecce.

California pioneer fractional gold varieties are cataloged by Breen-Gillio (BG) numbers.

The collecting field is divided into “Historic Gold Rush Small change 1852-1857” and “Suppressed Jewelers’ Issues 1858 to 1882.” Boiselle’s discovery is from the era of suppressed jewelers issues.

Pieces issued in the earlier era, also referred to as Period One, were used as small change to offset the shortage of small denomination federal coins issued by the United States Mint reaching circulation in California during the California Gold Rush era. The San Francisco Mint did not open until 1854. In the March 19, 2017, issue of the E-Sylum (www.coinbooks.org/v20/esylum_v20n12a16.html), the email newsletter of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society, Leonard notes that the suppressed jewelers issues were so-named by Breen as having been suppressed by the Secret Service in 1883.

The California fractional gold pieces for both periods are denominated, using fractions, in quarter dollars, half dollars and dollars and struck on planchets in either a round or octagonal shape.

Lucky find

Boiselle notes that Chicago jeweler F.H. Noble issued the so-called Aztec Head obverse piece that he acquired for $799 from the eBay seller Premium Quality Coin (PQ Coin) in Minneapolis, Minnesota (owned by Bill Himmelwright).

“They listed the piece as BG 799X, I reviewed the piece hastily and discovered that it appeared to be a BG 799W [according to] the obverse. So I contacted the seller; they quickly corrected the listing. I also was in error. A closer look revealed that the reverse did not match a BG 799W, X or Y. I then informed the seller that I was in error and it may be a new BG. They replied, ‘Then buy it,’ so I did. I sent pics of the obverse and reverse to Mike Locke for a look. He indicated that the reverse is unknown.

“The piece is undoubtedly the obverse of BG 799W, the die state to be determined,” Boiselle said.

Locke attributes the find as BG-799VA. Boiselle notes that the reverse of his acquisition “is unique to the series, although it does seem to use the same punches (letters & number) as 799W, X & Y. The wreath displays the differences, leaves and berries in different positions. The bow is also clean, without reworking. A longer fraction bar is evident.”

Striking details

Locke explains in his email to Coin World that his attribution number assignment for Boiselle’s piece “is based on the assumption that 799W, 799X and 799Y are in the correct emission order (I am pretty certain that this is correct) and that this new piece was logically made prior to 799W.

“Of course it is possible that there are others out there. I can find very few pictures of BG-799W coins online to be able to check the reverses.

“Regarding the emission order, there are non-denominated tokens struck with the obverse of BG-799Y, but not with the other obverses. In addition, the obverse die of BG-799Y was eventually re-engraved to show a date of 1849.

“BG-799W is known with harsh clash marks on the obverse. It is possible that the clash was with this new reverse die and that the reverse die did not survive the impact.”