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California Octagonal Quarter-Dollar Sized "Arms of California" Gold Tokens

Category:  Token & Medals
Last Modified:  5/10/2021
Set Description
California Souvenir Tokens – These differ from California small denomination gold in lacking the denomination “dollar,” “cent” or the equivalent. These little gold pieces, like all California small denomination gold made after 1856, were very popular souvenirs during the latter part of the 19th century and early 20th century. Those dated after (circa) 1865 were usually made in the year dated. Those dated earlier were probably backdated to commemorate the Gold Rush era.
Early examples of these tokens were often made by the same maker producing California small denomination gold “coins,” using the same planchets. Many were struck on solid gold planchets varying from 9K to 22K, with the lesser ones sometimes covered with pure gold. Others of these old originals are gold-covered (gilt) base metal. When the US Secret Service decided in 1881-1883 that all small gold pieces resembling the federal gold dollar violated the law, obverses with heads were replaced by designs such as the “Arms of California.”

Set Goals
To put together a representative set of "Arms of California" gold tokens

Slot Name
Origin/Country
Item Description
Full Grade
Owner Comments
Pics
To Set the mood... United States California Gold Rush Gold Mining Just to set the proper mood....
View Coin Joseph Brothers Storecard (1854-60) United States California Gold Rush Bronze CA (1854-60) SAN FRAN M-CALIF-6 JOSEPH BROTHERS Miller-CALIF-6 NGC TOKEN XF 40 BN (1854-60) Advertising Medal for the Joseph Brothers (San Francisco) - Nathan Joseph made some of the first (dated) Arms of California gold tokens
Joseph Brothers Storecard (1854-60) United States California Gold Rush Bronze Storecard 1854-1860 Miller-CA-6 Joseph Brothers Storecard (1854-60) - Nathan Joseph made some of the finest Arms of California gold tokens (Miller-CA-6)
View Coin 1852-Dated Gold Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token United States California Gold Rush TOKEN 1852-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA 0.20gm, OCTAGONAL NGC TOKEN MS 65 1852-Dated Gold Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized Arms of California token (Made by Nathan Joseph, San Francisco, California)
View Coin 1853-Dated Gold Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token United States California Gold Rush TOKEN 1853-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA OCTAGONAL (0.17g) NGC TOKEN MS 66 1853-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized gold "Arms of California" token (One of this type sold in the 1923 Enrico Caruso Sale)
View Coin 1853-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token United States California Gold Rush TOKEN 1853-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA (0.15g) OCTAGONAL NGC TOKEN MS 66 1853-Dated Octagonal Gold Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token (One of this type sold in the 1923 Enrico Caruso Sale)
View Coin 1853-Dated Gold Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token United States California Gold Rush TOKEN 1853-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA OCTAGONAL (0.18g) NGC TOKEN MS 66 1853-Dated Octagonal Gold Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token (Second Obverse) Ex-Jay Roe, Ex-Mike Locke
View Coin 1853-Dated Gold Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token United States California Gold Rush TOKEN 1853-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA (0.16g) OCTAGONAL NGC TOKEN MS 66 1853-Dated Octagonal Gold Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token (Second Obverse)
View Coin 1853-Dated Gold Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token United States California Gold Rush TOKEN 1853-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA (0.16g) OCTAGONAL NGC TOKEN MS 66 1853-Dated Octagonal Gold Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token (Third Obverse) Ex-Mike Locke
View Coin 1853-Dated Gold Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token United States California Gold Rush TOKEN 1853-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA (0.17g) OCTAGONAL NGC TOKEN MS 63 1853-Dated Octagonal Gold Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token (Third Obverse)
View Coin 1857-Dated Gold Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token United States California Gold Rush TOKEN 1857-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA 0.17gm, OCTAGONAL NGC TOKEN MS 65 1857-Dated Gold Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token (From a Hoard of 8 per Mike Locke)
View Coin 1857-Dated Gold Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token United States California Gold Rush TOKEN 1857-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA 0.17gm, OCTAGONAL NGC TOKEN MS 64 1857-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token (From a Hoard of 8, per Mike Locke)
1857-Dated Gold Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush Gold Quarter-Dollar Sized 1857-Dated Arms of California 1857 Octagonal Arms of California Quarter-Dollar sized gold token by Nathan Joseph. Obverse differs slightly from example in Locke (mountains on right side of Minerva) - could be a die strike error ?
View Coin 1875-Dated Gold Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token United States California Gold Rush TOKEN 1875-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA 0.18gm, OCTAGONAL NGC TOKEN MS 64 1875-Dated Octagonal Quarter -Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token
View Coin 1875-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush TOKEN 1875-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA (0.20g) OCTAGONAL NGC TOKEN MS 62 1875-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token (Ex-Mike Locke)
View Coin 1884-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush CHARM 1884-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA OCTAGONAL (0.11g) NGC TOKEN MS 65 1884-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token (Ex-Mike Locke, Ex-Jay Roe)
1884-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush Gold 1884-Dated Arms of California 1884-dated Octagonal Arms of California gold token (quarter-dollar sized)
1884-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush Gold Quarter-Dollar Sized 1884-Dated 1884 Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized Arms of California gold token
View Coin 1884-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush CHARM 1884-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA (0.12g) OCTAGONAL NGC TOKEN MS 65 1884-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token
View Coin 1884-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush CHARM 1884-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA (0.10g) OCTAGONAL NGC TOKEN MS 64 1884-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token (Ex-Mike Locke)
1884-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush Gold Quarter-Dollar Sized 1884-Dated Second Obverse 1884-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token (second obverse)
View Coin 1884-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush CHARM 1884-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA OCTAGONAL (0.16g) NGC TOKEN MS 64 1884-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar "Arms of California" gold token (Second Obverse) Ex-Mike Locke, Ex-Jay Roe
View Coin 1884-Dated Gold Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token United States California Gold Rush CHARM 1884-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA (0.10g) OCTAGONAL NGC TOKEN MS 64 1884-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token (Third Obverse) Ex-Mike Locke
View Coin 1884-Dated Gold Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token United States California Gold Rush CHARM 1884-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA (0.12g) OCTAGONAL NGC TOKEN MS 62 1884-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token (Third Reverse), sometimes referred to as the "Pagoda" obverse due to the mast and sails of the ship entering the harbor looking rather like a Chinese Pagoda
1884-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush 1884-Dated 1884-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token (Third Obverse)
View Coin 1885-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush CHARM 1885-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA (0.14g) OCTAGONAL NGC TOKEN MS 65 1885-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token (Example of this type mailed to Sweden circa 1890 as a souvenir)
View Coin 1885-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush CHARM 1885-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA (0.12g) OCTAGONAL NGC TOKEN MS 64 1885-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token (Example of this type mailed to Sweden circa 1890 as a souvenir)
View Coin 1885-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush CHARM 1885-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA, OCTAG (0.14g, 9.1mm) NGC TOKEN MS 64 1885-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token
View Coin 1885-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush CHARM 1885-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA, OCTAG (0.18g) NGC TOKEN MS 64 1885-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token (Second Obverse)
View Coin 1885-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush Gold CHARM 1885-DATED CAL. GILT ARMS OF CALIF - WREATH #2 OCTAGONAL, 9.2mm Jeff Shevlin Collection NGC MS 66 1885-Dated Quarter-Dollar sized Arms of California gold token (scarce) ex-Jeff Shevlin
1885-Dated Gold Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token United States California Gold Rush Gold 1885 Wreath 9 (Locke) Extremely Rare 1885 Arms of California quarter-dollar octagonal gold token (Wreath 9 Locke) I have a hard time getting a good photo of the reverse of ICG small coins because the inner case is so thick. Check Mike Locke's Cal-Gold website for a better photo.
1888-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush Gold Quarter-Dollar Sized 1888-Dated Arms of California 1888 Quarter-Dollar sized octagonal Arms of California gold token with massive cuds
View Coin 1888-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush CHARM 1888-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA 0.18gm, OCTAGONAL NGC TOKEN MS 63 1888-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token
View Coin 1888-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush CHARM 1888-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA 0.20gm, OCTAGONAL NGC TOKEN MS 64 1888-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token (Ex-Mike Locke)
View Coin 1891-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush CHARM 1891-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA 0.20gm, OCTAGONAL NGC TOKEN MS 64 1891-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token (Type 1)
1891-Dated Gold Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token United States California Gold Rush Gold Quarter-Dollar Sized 1891-Dated 1891-Dated Octagonal Gold Quarter-Dollar sized token (Type 2)
View Coin 1891-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush CHARM 1891-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA 0.20gm, OCTAGONAL NGC TOKEN MS 64 1891-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token
1894-Dated Gold Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" token United States California Gold Rush Gold Quarter-Dollar Sized 1894-Dated 1894-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized gold "Arms of California" token
View Coin 1895-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush CHARM 1895-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIFORNIA, O.18g NCS UNC Details 1895-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token (Ex-Jay Roe)
View Coin 1903-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush CHARM 1903-DATED CAL GOLD ARMS OF CALIF - 0.20g NCS UNC Details 1903-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token
1903-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush Gold Quarter-Dollar Sized 1903 Arms of California 1903 Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized Arms of California gold token (Type 1)
View Coin 1903-Dated Octagonal Quarter-Dollar sized "Arms of California" gold token United States California Gold Rush TOKEN 1903-DATED CAL. GOLD ARMS OF CALIF - WREATH #1 OCTAGONAL, 9.5mm NGC MS 67 PL 1903-Dated Octagonal "Arms of California" quarter-dollar-sized gold token (Type 2)

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