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V19 2016 INDEX       E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 19, Number 37, September 11, 2016, Article 23

THE GOLD CARD OF ALASKA

Dick Hanscom edits the Alaskan Token Collector & Polar Numismatist. The September 2016 issue includes this article about The Gold Card of Alaska. Thanks to Dick for providing the text and images for publication here. -Editor

The Gold Card of Alaska This was an interesting attempt to market small gold ...nuggets. To quote the flier accompanying the brochure:

“Last summer, we had a visitor ask to buy a $20.00 nugget. He wanted it about two inches long. Knowing a two inch nugget is worth over $3,000.00 (if you can find one), we pondered possible solutions.

“We use nuggets from the mining operation to create jewelry during the winter. We purchased a roll mill to manufacture earring posts, wire and sheets used in our handmade line.

“A roll mill works like an old wringer washer. We decided to try flattening some nuggets.

“Like observing clouds, we saw different images develop from each golden stone. Rotating the gold in the mill would give it an entirely new presence. Each time the nuggets passed through the rollers, they expanded in dimension; their shapes transformed.”

The Gold Card comes with the flier quoted above (with more information than shown above) and a nice card stock brochure. The front of the brochure can be seen to the right (shown actual size). Each gold card contains a flattened nugget weighing 6 grains.

The back of the gold card gives a brief description of the process (shown above at a reduced size).

These are available for $25 each, postpaid. This is just another example of how miners tried to enhance the value of their gold and avoid sending it to the refiners.



Wayne Homren, Editor

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