Questions about historic U.S. gold coin circulation...

I am curious about where I can find some information regarding the circulation/use of gold coins in everyday commerce back in the 1800s/early 1900s. I have read a bit of information on this forum in the past, it seems (from NASA-Tom, I think) about this subject, but can't recall details. I am curious if there are any studies/papers that anyone knows about, on just how (and how much) the circulation and use of U.S. gold coins occurred in this country. Obviously, there is the "military" angle (officers paid in gold coinage), as well as the anecdotal comments I've heard that gold coins are dug more often in western states vs. eastern states. I'm simply interested in finding all I can about this topic, as it fascinates me, and furthermore -- there is potentially some "education" to be gained, in terms of detecting.

As an aside...I am not sure how many folks here on the forum have found a U.S. gold coin, BUT -- if you are one of the lucky ones, I would be very interested in having you post what STATE you found it in (or even portion of a state, if you are willing). I'm NOT trying to steal anyone's hunting spot here; I'd simply be interested in finding out just the state you found your gold coin in, if you are willing. I have thought about posting this particular question (if you have dug a gold coin...would you please list the state) on several detecting forums, just to see what kind of results I get.

Anyway, if anyone knows of any info available regarding the circulation of U.S. gold coins that you could point me to, I'd appreciate it. (And, again, if anyone who has found a gold coin is willing to post which state it was found in, I'd appreciate that as well.)

Thanks!

Steve

[www.dankowskidetectors.com]

Will...thanks! THIS is the thread that I remembered reading (and, in fact, I see that I posted in it several times ). However, the thread was later "bumped," and I missed that -- and thus missed the remaining posts in the thread after it was bumped. I see now that in the very last post, NASA-Tom cited a book (United States Gold Coins -- An Illustrated History, By Q. David Bowers)...and this gives me some of the info I asked for here -- i.e. a resource to study. So, THANK YOU, Will (and, NASA-Tom)!

If anyone knows of any other sources (or, NASA-Tom, if you have ever written that definitive book on U.S. gold coin circulation ), I'd love to hear so.

Also, still interested in any "reports" of gold coin digs (and the state it was found in)...

Steve



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/07/2013 11:00PM by steveg.

I'm surprised no one has bumped this thread back to the top again......... so as to add new data...... or simply for review.

steveg Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am curious about where I can find some
> information regarding the circulation/use of gold
> coins in everyday commerce back in the 1800s/early
> 1900s. I have read a bit of information on this
> forum in the past, it seems (from NASA-Tom, I
> think) about this subject, but can't recall
> details. I am curious if there are any
> studies/papers that anyone knows about, on just
> how (and how much) the circulation and use of U.S.
> gold coins occurred in this country. Obviously,
> there is the "military" angle (officers paid in
> gold coinage), as well as the anecdotal comments
> I've heard that gold coins are dug more often in
> western states vs. eastern states. I'm simply
> interested in finding all I can about this topic,
> as it fascinates me, and furthermore -- there is
> potentially some "education" to be gained, in
> terms of detecting.
>
> As an aside...I am not sure how many folks here on
> the forum have found a U.S. gold coin, BUT -- if
> you are one of the lucky ones, I would be very
> interested in having you post what STATE you found
> it in (or even portion of a state, if you are
> willing). I'm NOT trying to steal anyone's
> hunting spot here; I'd simply be interested in
> finding out just the state you found your gold
> coin in, if you are willing. I have thought about
> posting this particular question (if you have dug
> a gold coin...would you please list the state) on
> several detecting forums, just to see what kind of
> results I get.
>
> Anyway, if anyone knows of any info available
> regarding the circulation of U.S. gold coins that
> you could point me to, I'd appreciate it. (And,
> again, if anyone who has found a gold coin is
> willing to post which state it was found in, I'd
> appreciate that as well.)
>
> Thanks!
>
> Steve

I have been fortunate enough to find 2 gold coins in my 28 or so years of detecting. Both are $1 coins, one dated 1852 the other is 1854. I found the first one in 1985 at an older fairground site in Texas. The second coin was found in April of this year at a ghost town site in Okla.

Nice 262, welcome to the forum.

I found a 1885 half eagle in a farm field here in SE PA. with a cz3d, 10.5" coil. Peeking out of the clump, thought it was play money at first. I think my jaw stayed open for a week.

Tom, I will pay a recurring annual fee to have the "sticky" function enabled on this site. Bumping is so 20th century...

$20 Stockton, Ca

262jp -- yes, WELCOME! A TX fairgrounds, and an OK ghost town? Wow, you are pulling those from right under my nose! Congrats to you, and it gives me hope that mine is out there, lurking in central OK somewhere...

deathray -- a DOUBLE EAGLE?? WOW! What unit, and what did it read as (I understand they read roughly penny-ish on an Explorer).

Steve

Severeign...read 180 on the sunray meter.

$20, Lake County, CA. On the G2 it bounced upper 80's to Low 90's.

Crosby -- a Double for you also? WOW! Upper 80s to low 90s is higher than a quarter reading, on the G2...though I guess it being a higher-than-normal frequency detector, would make it read higher on that particular machine...

AWESOME job!

Ozzie -- somehow I read your post, but yet missed where you said you found a half eagle...and in PA nonetheless! That is super! My jaw would be hanging open for at least a week, as well, if I found one, so I understand!!

Already, from the few folks that have responded, three of the four states I have ever lived in have been accounted for...Texas, Oklahoma, and my home state of Pennsylvania. The only other state I have lived in is Tennessee, and I think Kevin B. found one (a one dollar coin?), there...

We also have California (of course), and I know NASA-Tom has at least two (a one dollar, and a $2.50 quarter eagle) from Florida.

Who else?

Steve



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/08/2013 03:11AM by steveg.

bump