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FRIDAY DECEMBER 20, 2024 • VOL. 54, NO. 51
Historic 1869 Carson City Mint Scale Sold For $60,250, Will Remain In Nevada
C&W ManIn-The-Moon Jug Sells For Nevada State Museum Acquires 5-Foot-Tall Scale That Weighed Tons Of $3,660 At Silver And Gold Goodwill A large, 155-year-old balsubsequently discarded, Auction ance scale that weighed according to Holabird. hundreds of millions of dollars in gold and silver in the 19th century at the Carson City, Nev., Mint, including bullion from the legendary Comstock Lode, was sold for $60,250 in an auction in Reno conducted by Holabird Western Americana Collections on Nov. 24. The winning bid was placed by the Nevada State Museum with the backing of donors who pledged funds for the museum to acquire it. Bidding opened at $12,500. “This is an important and exciting acquisition for the Nevada State Museum in Carson City. Staff, particularly Dr. Christine Johnson and Dr. Josh Bonde, worked tirelessly to ensure this scale was returned to the mint. This item will allow a more complete experience for our visitors. We are so delighted,” stated Dan Thiele, Nevada Division of Museums and History. “Not only is this historic scale staying in Nevada, it is returning to its former home because the Nevada State Museum is housed in the same building that was used for the Carson City Mint,” said Fred Holabird, president of Holabird Western Americana Collections. “This is the original Carson City Mint bullion scale built for the United States Treasury Department in 1869 by the scale and balance manufacturer Henry
This 155-year-old, five-foot-tall balance scale that weighed tons of gold and silver in the 1800s at the Carson City, Nev., Mint sold for $60,250 in a Nov. 24 auction conducted by Holabird Western Americana Collections. The winning bidder was the Nevada State Museum in Carson City, which today is in the building that housed the Mint. Photo courtesy Holabird Western Americana Collections. Troemner and Company of Philadelphia. It was in operation the day the Mint opened in 1870,” explained Holabird. “In addition to its important function at the Mint, the historic scale was later a featured attraction for decades at a casino in Sparks, Nev.” The Carson City Mint stopped
making coins in 1893 and the mint’s building that is now home to the Nevada State Museum was used as an assay office between 1900 and 1933. When the assay office closed, most of the contents of the old mint were considered useless junk by the Treasury Department and
“It is believed the 5-foottall scale that was built into a waist-high table for ease in use at the mint was acquired by a local resident and later became an attraction at the Nugget Casino that opened in Sparks in 1955. The casino’s general manager, John Ascuaga, purchased the casino from his boss in 1959 and continued to display the scale there. The Ascuaga family sold the Nugget Casino in 2013 but privately kept the historic scale intact, in perfect condition, and in full working order,” furthered Holabird. “This is the most important numismatic artifact to surface in many decades and is truly a treasure found,” he finished. Pre - a u c t i o n s t o r i e s about the big, antique scale attracted future auction items related to the Carson City Mint. “A family contacted me and consigned a number of items that were handed down as heirlooms through generations: two letters of appointments signed by President Ulysses S. Grant for a melter and a refiner at the Carson City Mint, and two rare, nearly pristine silver dollars struck at the Carson City Mint. The discovery of more treasures awaits,” stated Holabird. For additional information, visit www.HolabirdAmericana.com.
18th Century Yuletide Tours To Return At Historic Rock Ford Historic Rock Ford is excited to present its popular 18th Century Yuletide tours. The General Edward Hand Mansion will be decorated with festive greenery in the style of the 1790s. In the mansion, there will be period dance and open-hearth cooking demonstrations and live harpsichord and violin music. Visitors will also be able to hear the voice of an actor portraying Edward Hand in his
study recounting his memories of Christmas night in 1776 when he and his men crossed the Delaware River and launched a surprise attack against the Hessian Garrison at Trenton, N.J. During the era that Hand and his family lived at Rock Ford, the traditional English Christmas was celebrated as “Yuletide,” a period of gatherings, games, ghost stories, dancing and dining
with family and friends. Yuletide extended over the 12-day period starting Dec. 25 (which was mostly a day for religious observance) and culminating in the “Twelfth Night” on Jan. 6, which was sometime celebrated with a ball or an elaborate feast highlighted with a special cake. When gifts were exchanged at all, they tended to be small items or tokens of affection and were usually given on
New Year’s Day rather than as part of the Christmas celebration. The museum invites the public to visit Historic Rock Ford for this celebration of Yuletide, a time when Christmas Day was only the beginning of the festive season. Tours will be held on Friday, Dec. 27, with timed entries at 4, 5, and 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 28 and 29, with timed Continued on page 6
By Karl Pass Salvation Army, Goodwill, and similar organizations often operate their own online auctions. Savvy observers, the same who monitor sites such as Facebook Marketplace, take notice. One recent online sale conducted by a Goodwill store in Fredericksburg, Va., had a Cowden & Wilcox stoneware jug with the uncommon manin-the-moon cobalt decoration. Starting at $25, it ended up realizing $3,660. As reported by collector and author Justin Thomas, the decoration referred to as “man-in-themoon” was possibly done by Shem Thomas, employed at the Cowden & Wilcox firm, ca. 1865. The Harrisburg, Pa., stoneware manufacturer was a prolific one in the last half of the 19th century, and unusually decorated examples enjoy a healthy market today with specialized pottery collectors. Other pottery firms also created versions of this decoration, but it is considered to be rare.
Image courtesy of Goodwill.
In This Issue SHOPS, SHOWS & MARKETS . . . . . . .
starting on page 3
SHOPS DIRECTORY . . . . . . .
on page 4
EVENT & AUCTION CALENDAR on page 5 AUCTIONEER DIRECTORY . . . . on page 6 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . on page 7
FEATURE RESULTS: Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers Sets World Record - Page 5
AUCTION SALE BILLS . . . . . . on page 8