Ch. 2: Gold Mining Historical Notes

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Ch. 3: Mine Distribution in North Carolina

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GOLD MINING IN NORTH CAROLINA.

Bechtler. and it is the most artistic of all the 5-dollar coins. C. Bechtler also coined 5-dollar gold pieces stamped ' Georgia Gold '; a very few pieces are stamped ' August 1, 1834,' which date marked a change in the U. S. standard gold coin. The presumption is that all the Bechtler gold coins prior to this date were bought up at a premium, and recoined at a profit of nearly 7 per cent. The denominations coined were §1.00, of quite various patterns, and 2y₂and 5-dollar pieces; the dollar pieces ranged from 27 to 30 grains. The coins were generally stamped with the carat, 20 c. being the lowest observed. The character of the stamping varied greatly, that of the dollar pieces being very poor, and these were extensively counterfeited. The alloy was silver and the coin had a pale brassy look. Some coins were specifically stamped ' North Carolina' gold; others merely ' Carolina Gold ' or ' Georgia Gold.' "

In Table No. 3 the totals found in Table No. 2, from the years 1880 to 1896, are distributed among the various States.


Table	III.- Statement		of Gold and Silver Produced				in each	of the
Southe'rn States; Deposited at the United States Mint and								Assay
Offices from		1880 to 1896 incl		usive.
	Md.	Va.	N. C.	s. c.	Ga.	Ala.	Tenn.	Total.
1680...	§191	$11,071	$77,405	$10,071	$103,006	$696	$1,270	$203,770
1881...	253	9,147	55,990	23,093	106,548	700	1,353	197,084
1882...	754	13,540	82,473	10,20S	114,507	1,690	227	229,459
18S3...	310	6,343	100,294	48,428	116,401	147	552	272,475
1884...		2,024	8S.861	48,511	115,000	740	123	255,259
1885...	1,539	2,954	64,826	39,766	128,148	2,611	119	239,963
1886...	559	2,873	83,400	36,187	146,027	3,051	317	272,414
1887...	199	12,013	216.78S	52,142	107,53"i	1,021	231	390,531
1888...	2,174	6,514	S8,641	37,40S	97,824	1,478	908	234,947
1889...	558	2,608	81,196	44,923	92,307	2,332	399	224,323
1890. ..	7,852	2,601	75,192	97,646	85,715	626	365	269,997
1891...	4,244	4,197	53,993	127,161	63,722	1,222	168	254,707
1892...	249	4,473	50,336	120,582	83,616	2,286	481	262,023
1893...	203	4,300	36,454	122,964	92,859	4,895	229	261,904
1894...	978	7,643	52,927	9S,763	99,095	4,092	329	263.S27
1895...	500	3,674	54,649	128,904	128.487	2,947	335	319,496
1896...	300	3,500	44,946	63,688	151,776	5,700	300	270,210

In the Census Report for 1880, vol. xiii, can be found statistics concerning gold mining in the Southern States tabulated under the following headings: Directory of deep mines; Means of handling water in deep mines; Cost of supplies in deep mines; Directory of ditches; Cost of ditch plants; Grades and dimensions of ditches; Length of water season; Placer directory; Tunnels in placer mines; Stamp batteries; Amalgamating mills; Arrastras; and Roasting furnaces.

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