1851 "887" $50 LE Augustus Humbert, "50" AU53 PCGS
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1851 $50 LE Humbert Fifty Dollar, Lettered Edge, 887 Thous., 50 Reverse, K-4, R.5, AU53 PCGS. The arrival of Augustus Humbert in San Francisco on January 8,1851 established the United States Assay Office, a Federal office that would function as a provisional mint. Initially, its sole function was to provide proper assaying of gold dust and bullion and form it into octagonal ingots of varying denominations. Humbert brought the dies designed for that purpose with him from New York, engraved by Charles Cushing Wright. The provisional mint used the facilities of Moffat & Company, who had suspended their private coining operations that month. The first fifty dollar octagonal gold pieces were struck on January 31, 1851. The following day, the Daily Pacific News wrote: {blockquote}"At the last session of Congress, an act was passed, authorizing the manufacture of ingots and bars of gold at the establishment of Moffat & Co., in this city, to bear the United States stamp, and gentleman of integrity and experience, Augustus Humbert, Esq., was duly appointed to execute the trust of supervising the coinage of these bars and ingots, and affixing the stamp which should determine their genuineness. The dies for this purpose were procured, and the first coin produced from them, was shown us yesterday. It is of octagon form, has upon one side a raised eagle, with scroll and surrounded by the words, 'United States of America.' On the reverse side is a radiating sun, the edge being stamped with the name of the Assayer, and the date. Its value is fifty dollars, and the piece in a convenient form for pocket use or transportation."{/blockquote} The eight-sided ingots were clearly designed to accommodate multiple denominations, and they served that purpose. According to Assay Office records, about 400 $500 ingots were struck and just under 200 $1,000 ingots were produced in early 1851. Struck from the existing non-denominational dies, only the planchet thickness changed to ...
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