"How can I tell the real California gold pieces from the so-called souvenir or tokens?"

"The pieces generally considered to be genuine have the value expressed as "Dollar," or "D," while pieces definitely known to be souvenirs or "charms" have simply "1/4," "1/2" or "1." It is not entirely without justification that some collectors consider many of the so-called genuine small California pieces to be souvenirs too. The only book on the subject is by Ed. M. Lee's "California Gold Quarters, Halves and Dollars." It is a descriptive list and makes no attempt to explore the background of the pieces other than to state, "So far as can be ascertained, the names of the persons or firms responsible for issuing the smaller coins are unknown. But from designs and quality it is thought that many of them were struck by the same parties issuing the larger denominations, while others were coined by responsible jewelers and merchants."

In 1871, Federal authorities apprehended a party in Leavenworth, Kansas who was striking gold half dollars described as follows : obverse, female head with thirteen stars and date 1871; reverse, wreath enclosed the words "Half Dollar' Cal." (Lee numbers 54 to 57 have a similar description.) The Director of the Mint's report for 1871 states that a large quantity of these pieces were struck.

About 1880 the government prohibited the placing of a denomination on the pieces, hence the 1/4, 1/2 and 1 being used on known "charms."

From 1900 to 1920 large quantities of these "charms" were sold, mainly to tourists, visiting the Far West.-- and they were manufactured, in other places, in Seattle and Chicago.

If they were not all destroyed in the Great Earthquake, old San Francisco newspaper files should shed some light on the subject as to whether the small gold pieces actually circulated as money and if so when the circulation ceased. The subject offers a challenge to the numismatist of inquiring turn of mind."