An exceedingly rare gold ingot from the famous Franklin Hoard appears out of someone's safe after almost 50 years. 

 Nevada Silver Company Gold Ingot

Nevada Silver Company Bar 
Metal contents: GOLD 999 FINE
Weight : 6.59 ozs 

This Nevada Silver Company Gold Specimen is a Tier 1 museum quality piece from Franklin Hoard lore.  It is possible that it is the only example of a Nevada Silver Company Gold Ingot. It measures approximately 2 inches by 1 1/4 inches and weighs 204.9 grams.

Within the Franklin Hoard listed as plate 15 on page 191 in Moulton’s publication John J. Ford, Jr. and the “Franklin Hoard” are examples of the Eagle Mining Company pieces also attributed to the Franklin Hoard. These generally were Silver with a few gold examples which all are extremely rare with the 1878 Eagle Mining Company $124 gold specimen which is shown in Moulton’s publication courtesy of the Smithsonian Institute. This, Nevada Silver Company Franklin Hoard piece to our knowledge is an undiscovered gold specimen of equivalence to the gold Eagle Mining Company specimens. The estimated production date of the Gold Nevada Silver Company specimen is estimated as 1955-1958 with the intention of appearing to have been produced in the 1870-1890 range. On page 261 of from notes written by Eric P. Newman when he visited Kenyon Painter at his home in Phoenix in July of 1968 John J. Ford, Jr. and The “Franklin Hoard” by Karl B. Moulton It shows sketches of the Nevada Silver Company Die workup and records that show the origins and also that the Nevada Silver Company die was contracted through Harry J. Forman a  long time Philadelphia coin dealer whom for many years was Madison mint (of Silver Art Bar Collectable fame.)

Mr. Forman also was an author an ANA Life Member who died in March 2008. Together with partner Ruth Bauer, he ran the firm of Forman and Bauer, Inc., a respected mail-order coin business. Forman was active in increasing ANA membership and encouraging donations to the Money Museum and became the Association’s first “grand patron” in 1982. He received the ANA’s Glenn Smedley Memorial Award in 1998, the Numismatist of the Year Award in 2000 and the Association’s highest honor, the Farran Zerbe Memorial Award, in 2001. The ANA dealer of the year is now named the Harry J. Forman Dealer of the Year Award.

Mr. Forman was known to have used various tooling and machining companies to do his die work and striking for Madison Mint work. It seemed Mr. Forman had most likely contacted the Philadelphia firm of August C. Frank Company to engrave the Nevada Silver Company dies according to Moulton’s research.

 

 This bar is now up for auction! For more information Click here

 

Writing contributions: 

Steve Austin 

Sources:

Book: John J. Ford and The "Franklin Hoard" by Moulton

 

 

For PCGS Article Click here

Nevada Company Gold Ingot Discovery Full Article by PCGS