This is a gold one dollar coin from the United States of America dated 1851. Coins such as this were produced during the Californian gold rush to meet an acute need for small denomination coins. The British government was aware of the practice in California and made a special effort to ensure that this did not occur in Australia by both legally forbidding the practice and by establishing Branches of the Royal Mint in Sydney and Melbourne.

Click to enlarge. (56kb)

Click to enlarge. (62kb)


Obverse – Head of Liberty facing left, surrounded by 13 stars.		Reverse – At the centre within an olive wreath is the legend 1 DOLLAR 1851; around which is UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Transferred from National Gallery of Victoria, 1976