"Regarding the comment of John W. Adams on the "Blake & Agnell" gold bar that "there are rebuttals to all the points he makes," there are several other things wrong with this bar as well. In Coin World for August 7, 2000, p. 153, Bob Evans, curator of the SS Central America treasure, reports "regardless of the size or shape of the bars, each [including the Blake & Co. bars made in 1857 or 1856] is stamped with the same five pieces of information, albeit not in the same location: the name and/or identifying stamps of the manufacturer, the serial number, the weight in fine troy ounces, the purity in parts per thousand, and the dollar value based at $20.67 per ounce of fine gold."

The $23.30 "Blake & Agnell" bar dated 1855

• (1) lacks a serial number;
• (2) gives purity in carats, not parts per thousand;
• (3) has a dollar value based on only $20.33 per ounce of fine gold; and
• (4) adds a superfluous date (not one bar in the entire cargo of the Central America is dated).

Furthermore, Evans reports that all the Central America bars have one or two assay chips; the "Blake & Agnell" $23.30 bar has no assay chip. Really, it is time to stop making excuses for this bar.

In view of Mr. Adams' reference to the libel suit filed by Stack's and John Ford, it must be emphasized that, at the time Mr. Ford acquired this bar, the technology necessary to perform the fineness testing carried out by Michael Hodder did not exist, the "Agnell" spelling error was unrecognized, and the Central America bars were under 8,500 feet of water. Condemning this bar based on later knowledge is not intended to reflect badly on Mr. Ford's or Stack's actions at the time. That said, I hope that study of the authenticity of this or any other individual numismatic object can be carried out free of fear that publication of an adverse finding will make the author the target of a lawsuit."