Despite their apparent ubiquity in San Francisco in late 1849, today Miners Bank $10s are now scarce, with around 35 examples extant. Most are XF or AU, with a handful of mint state examples comprising the condition census. The gem mint state Ellsworth/Garrett specimen is the finest known example. In 2017, David J. McCarthy identified repeating depressions on the so-called Crimped Border Miners Bank $10s (see photo at bottom of page) that were discovered by John J. Ford in the late 1970s. These pieces are now known to be 20th-century die transfer forgeries.
coinage-type | Pioneer & Territorial Gold |
desg | MS |
edge | Coarsely Reeded |
material | Gold-copper alloy |
mintage | Approx. 35 known |
ngc-id | 2BBE |
obverse-description | Plain obverse with only the lettering TEN D. * MINERS, BANK. * SANFRANCISCO. |
pcgs-link | 10236 |
pcgs-number | 10236 |
reverse-description | Federal Eagle CALIFORNIA 13 stars |
variety | Miners Bank |
variety-2 | K-1 |
year-display | 1849 |