Struck during the earliest days of Californian statehood, the beautiful Humbert ingot is one the great treasures of numismatics, a fifty-dollar octagonal “slug” also known as the Quintuple Eagle and the Five-Eagle Piece. It bears the name of San Francisco’s U.S. Assayer, and is known for its historical importance and distinctive design. These qualities inspired a set of smaller commemorative coins minted in the late Aughts, coins whose designs are a tribute to the aesthetic of the originals, created using hand-engraved dies and showing a gorgeous cameo finish. The 2009 Proof Humbert Commemorative Octagon 1 oz Gold Coin is available from Provident Metals in a Gem Proof grade certified by the Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC).

Highlights:

• Comes in a tamper-proof plastic container, labeled with its NGC-certified grade!
• Issued in 2009!
• Comes from a limited original mintage of just over 1,000 coins!
• Contains 1 Troy oz of .9999 pure gold.
• Struck in a cameo finish using hand-crafted dies.
• Obverse side features an eagle with outstretched wings
• Reverse side carries a set of inscriptions.

The 2009 Proof Humbert Commemorative Octagon Gold Coin comes in tamper-proof plastic packaging and contains a Troy ounce of pure California gold. Its label shows NGC’s certification of a Gem Proof grade: a coin free of flaws save for a few hairline scratches outside of prime focal areas. Provident Metals fully insures every shipment against any chance of loss or damage.

Obverse

The obverse side shows an eagle with its wings outstretched and a rock and shield behind it. It is surrounded by the lettering “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “PURE CAL. GOLD.” At the coin’s outer rim are the inscriptions “AUGUSTUS HUMBERT,” “UNITED STATES ASSAYER OF GOLD,” “CALIFORNIA,” and “1852.”

Reverse

The reverse side bears the inscriptions “HUMBERT GOLD INGOT,” “COMMEMORATIVE 2009,” “PURE CALIFORNIA GOLD,” and “1 OZ TROY 999.9 FINE,” with an abstract geometric pattern decorating the backdrop.

History

Coinage was a major part of the story of California’s emergence into American statehood in 1850: there was a crucial shortage of the currency needed to power an emerging economy. One of the major figures tasked with addressing that shortage was Augustus Humbert, who worked from a United States Assay Office established in San Francisco in 1850, the precursor to the eventual creation of the San Francisco Mint. A series of octagonal gold ingots or “slugs” bore his name in the years 1851 and 1852, and the commemorative coins struck in tribute to them also echo their design, created with dies hand-engraved in pure steel by the famous artist Ron Landis.

Ordering

Drawn from a limited original mintage of just over a thousand coins, this dazzling collectible is in limited supply, and the Provident Metals team recommends ordering early to add one to your collection. Phone us at 800-313-3315, send us an e-mail, or chat with an agent live online.