California $50 Gold Basic Set (1851-1852)

For Americans, the California Gold Rush meant untold riches. For coin collectors, it meant new gold coins, in sizes and shapes never before imagined. Among them were the $50 "Slugs" – massive, octagonal coins that contained nearly 2-1/2 ounces of gold. The California $50 Gold Basic Set includes three types: two 1851 "Slugs" issued by Augustus Humbert as the United States Assayer of Gold (one with a Lettered Edge and another with a Reeded Edge) and one 1852 "Slug" from the U.S. Assay Office of Gold. These three coins are among the largest, the most impressive, and certainly among the most historic American coins ever made.