Back to Mike Locke's small gold tokens with bears index.
Bear #1
Large smooth squatting bear with a thick upturned tail.
Plain stones underneath feet
Plain poppy fronds in front and behind
Denomination in large digits in middle
"CALIFORNIA GOLD" in arc across the top
With porous surfaces, line drawing head, flat stars
Seen in various presentation holders
Only produced in 1/2 size
Reported in April 25, 1990 "Coin World" letter to the editor by Daniel Hurkett of Maryland as all struck for him in 1966. 200,000 of each variety were struck. They were sold by advertistments in national magazines 1973, when sales tapered off too much to make a profit. See also 1972 dated advertisement, illustrated on the ephemera page.
Struck by Osborne Coinage of Cincinnati, who provided a picture of the dies as proof that they struck them.
Bear 1 pieces are extremely common and of poor quality. Although occasionally seen on Ebay at high prices, knowledgable dealers sell these for a few dollars each, or old packaged sets (with good, original, intact packaging) for $25-50.
Brass (usually) or poorly gold plated brass. Daniel Hurkett reports that the gold plated pieces were plated after the tokens were delivered by Osborne Coinage and were sold at a premium. Almost always lightly worn, as-if intentionally processed. Daniel Hurkett reports that such processing was done. This is probably a consequence of the bulk handling of the tokens between the mint and Daniel Hurkett.
These tokens exhibit an extraordinary consistency in device positions from variety to variety. It is possible that they were produced from a hub.
Martguild has made cast replicas (brass plated zinc) of these tokens.
13 varieties listed
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Bear #1, all are 1/2 with 13 stars, line drawing style, coin orientation
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Octagonal
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Round
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