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FUN Signature US Coin Sale 1251 4-6 & 8-9 Jan 2017
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S.S. Central America Gold Bars
Justh & Hunter Gold Ingot. 85.49 Ounces. CABG-304. 886 fineness. It took a tragic accident in the sinking of the S.S. Central America to preserve the gold ingots of several prominent Gold Rush assayers, including Justh & Hunter. The ship went down with almost 600 passengers on board. Incredibly, the list of fatalities very nearly included Emanuel (Emil) Justh himself.
Justh, a lithographer by trade, arrived in San Francisco from Verboca, Hungary on November 14, 1850. He worked briefly in his field, establishing the Lithographic Printing Office of Justh & Co. or Justh, Quirot & Co. in 1851. That venture was short-lived. In June 1852, Emil Justh formed a customs house brokerage with F.I. Goerlitz, but the firm was dissolved a month later. A couple of years passed before Justh got his first taste of the gold refining industry. He joined the San Francisco Mint as an assistant assayer in April 1854, when the new facility began coining operations. There he worked under Chief Assayer and fellow countryman Agoston Haraszthy, who undoubtedly showed him the ropes.
Emil Justh partnered with Solomon Hillen Hunter, a former merchant in the Baltimore shipping industry, after leaving the Mint in May 1855. They established the assaying and refining firm of Justh & Hunter on May 15 at 188 Montgomery Street in San Francisco. The operation expanded to Marysville, California one year later, with that office under the supervision of S.H. Hunter. In October 1856, Justh & Hunter's San Francisco bureau moved to a larger space at 108 Battery Street. Suffice it to say the two men quickly proved themselves to be among the most capable and well-respected assayers during the latter part of the Gold Rush era.
Justh's was the prototypical story of success. He emigrated from foreign country, tried and failed to build up two small businesses, gained valuable work experience, and started his own highly successful firm. Justh applied for citizenship on February 21, 1857 after having been in the United States for nearly seven years, and was declared a citizen on August 27. Shortly thereafter, Justh traveled to New York City (records show he was in Washington, D.C. in November 1857), his fate and that of the S.S. Central America coming dangerously close together.
Merely 15 days separated the departures of the S.S. Sonora, which took more than 400 passengers to Panama to connect with the ill-fated S.S. Central America, and the S.S. California, which carried Emil Justh. The Sonora left San Francisco's port on August 20, 1857 and arrived at Panama on the evening of September 2. Voyagers took the Panama Railroad 48 miles across to Aspinwall, where they connected with the Central America and departed on September 3. After short stop in Havana, the Central America would travel up the East Coast before encountering a hurricane 160 miles off the coast of Cape Hatteras.
Emil Justh bought his ticket to travel aboard the S.S. California at least a week before the sinking of the Central America. The California left San Francisco at 9 a.m. on September 5. It is likely that Justh heard about the maritime tragedy before boarding the Star of the West at Aspinwall on September 24. Word of the sinking spread quickly. If not, he would certainly have realized what had happened during his voyage. Evidence of the disaster could still be found along the United Mail Steamship Company's Atlantic route. According to a New York Times article published on October 5, the day after the Star of the West arrived in New York, "On Saturday, about noon, the Star of the West passed the dead body of a man floating upon the surface, supported by a life-preserver. It was off the capes of Virginia, and the sea was rough at the time. It was supposed to be one of the passengers of the Central America."
Classified as a large-size ingot, the legends are well-spaced and laid out horizontally. At the top of the front side is: NO. 4200., followed by the J&H logo, then 85.49 OZS on the same line as 886 FINE, and at the bottom of that side is the 1857 value of $1565.76. The back side repeats the last three digits of the serial number: 200. The ingot measures 100 mm x 58 mm x 28 mm. The surfaces are bright gold throughout.
From The Arizona Treasure Collection.
Justh & Hunter Gold Ingot. 85.49 Ounces. CABG-304. 886 fineness. It took a tragic accident in the sinking of the S.S. Central America to preserve the gold ingots of several prominent Gold Rush assayers, including Justh & Hunter. The ship went down with almost 600 passengers on board. Incredibly, the list of fatalities very nearly included Emanuel (Emil) Justh himself.
Justh, a lithographer by trade, arrived in San Francisco from Verboca, Hungary on November 14, 1850. He worked briefly in his field, establishing the Lithographic Printing Office of Justh & Co. or Justh, Quirot & Co. in 1851. That venture was short-lived. In June 1852, Emil Justh formed a customs house brokerage with F.I. Goerlitz, but the firm was dissolved a month later. A couple of years passed before Justh got his first taste of the gold refining industry. He joined the San Francisco Mint as an assistant assayer in April 1854, when the new facility began coining operations. There he worked under Chief Assayer and fellow countryman Agoston Haraszthy, who undoubtedly showed him the ropes.
Emil Justh partnered with Solomon Hillen Hunter, a former merchant in the Baltimore shipping industry, after leaving the Mint in May 1855. They established the assaying and refining firm of Justh & Hunter on May 15 at 188 Montgomery Street in San Francisco. The operation expanded to Marysville, California one year later, with that office under the supervision of S.H. Hunter. In October 1856, Justh & Hunter's San Francisco bureau moved to a larger space at 108 Battery Street. Suffice it to say the two men quickly proved themselves to be among the most capable and well-respected assayers during the latter part of the Gold Rush era.
Justh's was the prototypical story of success. He emigrated from foreign country, tried and failed to build up two small businesses, gained valuable work experience, and started his own highly successful firm. Justh applied for citizenship on February 21, 1857 after having been in the United States for nearly seven years, and was declared a citizen on August 27. Shortly thereafter, Justh traveled to New York City (records show he was in Washington, D.C. in November 1857), his fate and that of the S.S. Central America coming dangerously close together.
Merely 15 days separated the departures of the S.S. Sonora, which took more than 400 passengers to Panama to connect with the ill-fated S.S. Central America, and the S.S. California, which carried Emil Justh. The Sonora left San Francisco's port on August 20, 1857 and arrived at Panama on the evening of September 2. Voyagers took the Panama Railroad 48 miles across to Aspinwall, where they connected with the Central America and departed on September 3. After short stop in Havana, the Central America would travel up the East Coast before encountering a hurricane 160 miles off the coast of Cape Hatteras.
Emil Justh bought his ticket to travel aboard the S.S. California at least a week before the sinking of the Central America. The California left San Francisco at 9 a.m. on September 5. It is likely that Justh heard about the maritime tragedy before boarding the Star of the West at Aspinwall on September 24. Word of the sinking spread quickly. If not, he would certainly have realized what had happened during his voyage. Evidence of the disaster could still be found along the United Mail Steamship Company's Atlantic route. According to a New York Times article published on October 5, the day after the Star of the West arrived in New York, "On Saturday, about noon, the Star of the West passed the dead body of a man floating upon the surface, supported by a life-preserver. It was off the capes of Virginia, and the sea was rough at the time. It was supposed to be one of the passengers of the Central America."
Classified as a large-size ingot, the legends are well-spaced and laid out horizontally. At the top of the front side is: NO. 4200., followed by the J&H logo, then 85.49 OZS on the same line as 886 FINE, and at the bottom of that side is the 1857 value of $1565.76. The back side repeats the last three digits of the serial number: 200. The ingot measures 100 mm x 58 mm x 28 mm. The surfaces are bright gold throughout.
From The Arizona Treasure Collection.