Frank S. writes: Do you know anything about a $5.00 coin dated 1849 by a company named Pacific Co.?
Very little is known about this company, one of several that made private issue coins for commerce during the gold rush period in California. The Pacific Company resided in San Francisco but there is nothing known about its origins. It is conjectured that the gold coins with the stamp of the Pacific Company were minted by a firm called Broderick and Kohler (Kohler was the maker of the famous Kohler bar ingots). The Pacific Company gold coins were minted in denominations of $5 and $10. Both are extremely rare. Value range to $150,000. See: Territorial Gold Coins – California Issuers
