Unique Gold Rush Coin Returns to Santa Clara Expo

(Santa Clara, California) – One of the first Gold Rush-era coins minted in San Francisco, a unique Kellogg and Company $20 denomination territorial gold piece, will return to the Bay area for only the second known time since it was made in 1854. It will be publicly displayed during the first three days of the Santa Clara Coin, Stamp & Collectibles Expo, April 19 – 22, 2007, in the Santa Clara, California Convention Center, 5001 Great America Parkway.

“The Kellogg gold coin was struck on February 9, 1854 by John Glover Kellogg, a former employee of the San Francisco U.S. Assay Office. He gave it to his friend and future business partner, New York City watchmaker, August Humbert, the former U.S. Assayer in San Francisco,” explained Ronald J. Gillio, Santa Clara Expo General Chairman.

During most of the 20th century, the historic coin was part of the legendary Garrett Collection at Johns Hopkins University and kept in a vault in Baltimore, Maryland.

The coin is graded Specimen-69 by Professional Coin Grading Service, and will be displayed courtesy of its owner, Steven L. Contursi, President of Rare Coin Wholesalers of Dana Point, California. It is insured for $2.5 million.

eBay, a co-sponsor of the Santa Clara Expo, will present an updated version of its popular seminar, “Buying and Selling on eBay,” conducted by eBay consultant, Troy Thoreson.

Superior Galleries of Beverly Hills, California conducts the official rare coin auction during the Santa Clara show. A children’s treasure hunt will be held between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Saturday, April 21, and a gold coin door prize will be awarded each day of the four-day show.

“I anticipate there will be tremendous interest in seeing the ‘Kellogg twenty’ in person,” said Gillio.

“This is only the second time the coin has ever been publicly exhibited in the Bay area. It attracted considerable attention from collectors, the general public and the San Francisco area news media when it was displayed in Santa Clara in 2003. It’s coming back to the Bay area for only the second time in 153 years.”

Kellogg's name prominently appears on the gold coin in the headdress worn by the symbolic Miss Liberty on the front of the coin. The tail's side has the words: "SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA TWENTY D."

“The renowned names of Kellogg and Humbert are an integral part of California's Gold Rush history. Only a few 1854 $20 Kellogg gold pieces survive today, and this is the only one designed a 'specimen strike' because of its exceptionally strong design features. It was specially made and is unique,” said Contursi.

In addition to Humbert, Garrett and Contursi, the pedigree of the Kellogg gold coin includes Captain Andrew C. Zabriskie, Colonel James W. Ellsworth and Edward Milas.

The Santa Clara Expo is co-sponsored by the Cupertino Coin Club.

Public hours are Thursday, April 19, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, April 20 and 21, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; and Sunday, April 22, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is $6 (good for all four days); $3 for seniors (65 and up) and children 8 to 16; children 7 and under admitted free.

Free parking is available at the Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Parkway.

For additional information, call Expos Unlimited at (805) 962-9939. Online: www.SantaClaraExpo.com.