California fractional gold uses quarter-, half-, and one-dollar-sized private pieces whose octagonal and round formats are classified by detailed BG numbers.

The 1852–1882 catalog contains 500 issue rows and no normalized grade values; many rows represent specialist die attributions rather than broad date types.

Core specifications

Issue period
1852–1882
Catalog mints
Not stated
Reported catalog mintage
Not reported
Composition
Not stated
Diameter
Not stated
Weight
Not stated

Micro money becomes a specialist field

Small gold pieces answered souvenir and commercial demand in and after the Gold Rush era.

Later-period and token-like productions make maker, period, denomination, and BG attribution essential.

Obverse, reverse, and the details that identify the type

Confirm the major design, date, and mint mark before studying smaller die differences.

The main portrait and date

Liberty heads, Indian heads, or related motifs appear in very small fields with dates and stars.

Denomination, subject, and mint mark

Denomination, CALIFORNIA GOLD, wreaths, and maker-linked details distinguish hundreds of varieties.

Representative issues that explain the series

Use magnification, exact diameter, shape, weight, period, and multiple die markers before assigning a BG number.

  • 1853 G25C BG-101 — N/A. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1874 25C BG-795 — N/A. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1867 G50C BG-1018 — N/A. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.

Issue catalog

1853 G25C BG-1011853 G25C BG-1021854 G25C BG-1031854 G25C BG-1041854 G25C BG-1051855/4 G25C BG-1061856 G25C BG-1071854 G25C BG-1081854 G25C BG-1091855 G25C BG-1101856 G25C BG-111(1853) G25C BG-201No Date G25C BG-202No Date G25C BG-203No Date G25C BG-204No Date G25C BG-204ANo Date G25C BG-204BNo Date G25C BG-204CNo Date G25C BG-205(1853) G25C BG-206No Date G25C BG-2071853 G25C BG-2081853 G25C BG-209No Date G25C BG-209ANo Date G25C BG-209B1853 G25C BG-2101853 G25C BG-2111853 G25C BG-2121853 G25C BG-2131853 G25C BG-2141853 G25C BG-2151854 G25C BG-2161853 G25C BG-2171853 G25C BG-217A1853 G25C BG-2181853 G25C BG-2191854 G25C BG-220 Defiant Eagle(1853) G25C BG-221(1853) G25C BG-222(1853) G25C BG-223(1854) G25C BG-224No Date G25C BG-2241855 G25C BG-2251855 G25C BG-2261855 G25C BG-226A1855 G25C BG-2271856 G25C BG-2281856 G25C BG-2291856 G25C BG-2301853 G50C BG-301 Eagle1853 G50C BG-302 "Peacock"1853 G50C BG-303 "Peacock"1853 G50C BG-3041854 G50C BG-304A1854 G50C BG-304B1854 G50C BG-3051854 G50C BG-3061854 G50C BG-306A1856 G50C BG-3071854 G50C BG-3081855 G50C BG-3091856 G50C BG-3101856 G50C BG-3111856 G50C BG-311a1852 G50C BG-4011853 G50C BG-402 Eagle1854 G50C BG-4031854 G50C BG-4041855 G50C BG-4051855 G50C BG-4061852 G50C BG-4071853 G50C BG-4081853 G50C BG-4091853 G50C BG-410 Eagle1853 G50C BG-411 Eagle1853 G50C BG-412 Eagle1853 G50C BG-413 Eagle1853 G50C BG-4141853 G50C BG-4151853 G50C BG-415A1853 G50C BG-4161853 G50C BG-416A1853 G50C BG-4171853 G50C BG-4181853 G50C BG-4191853 G50C BG-4201853 G50C BG-4211853 G50C BG-4221854 G50C BG-422A1854 G50C BG-4231854 G50C BG-4241854 G50C BG-4251852 G50C BG-4261852 G50C BG-4271853 G50C BG-4281853 G50C BG-4291853 G50C BG-4301854 G50C BG-4311855 G50C BG-4321855 G50C BG-4331856 G50C BG-4341856 G50C BG-434a1853 G50C BG-435, Arms of California1854 G50C BG-436 Eagle(1853) G$1 BG-501, "Humbert" Eagle1853 G$1 BG-502 Eagle1853 G$1 BG-503 Eagle1854 G$1 BG-504 Eagle1853 G$1 BG-5051854 G$1 BG-5061854 G$1 BG-5071854 G$1 BG-5081854 G$1 BG-5091854 G$1 BG-5101855/4 G$1 BG-5111855/4 G$1 BG-511a1856 G$1 BG-5121854 G$1 BG-5131853 G$1 BG-5141853 G$1 BG-5151853 G$1 BG-5161853 G$1 BG-5171853 G$1 BG-5181853 G$1 BG-5191853 G$1 BG-5201853 G$1 BG-5211853 G$1 BG-5221853 G$1 BG-5231853 G$1 BG-5241853 G$1 BG-5251853 G$1 BG-5261854 G$1 BG-5271854 G$1 BG-5281854 G$1 BG-5291853 G$1 BG-5301853 G$1 BG-5311854 G$1 BG-5321855 G$1 BG-5331855 G$1 BG-533a1854 G$1 BG-534 Eagle1854 G$1 BG-6011854 G$1 BG-6021854 G$1 BG-6031853 G$1 BG-604 Eagle1854 G$1 BG-6051854 G$1 BG-6061857 G$1 BG-6071859 G25C BG-7011859 G25C BG-7021859 G25C BG-7031856 G25C BG-703A1859 G25C BG-7041859 G25C BG-7051864 25C BG-7061864 G25C BG-7071866 G25C BG-7081867 G25C BG-7091868 G25C BG-7101868 G25C BG-7111869 25C BG-7121870 G25C BG-7131871 G25C BG-7141871 25C BG-7151871 25C BG-7161871 G25C BG-7171871 25C BG-7171871 25C BG-717A1871 G25C BG-7181871 25C BG-718A1871 25C BG-7191871 G25C BG-7201872 25C BG-7211872 25C BG-721A1872 G25C BG-722, Washington1872 G25C BG-723, Washington1872 G25C BG-724, Washington1872 25C BG-7251872 25C BG-7261873 G25C BG-7271873 G25C BG-7281860 G25C BG-7291860 G25C BG-7301860 G25C BG-7311860 G25C BG-7321863 25C BG-7331863 G25C BG-7341864 25C BG-7351865/4 25C BG-7361866 25C BG-7371866 G25C BG-7371866 G25C BG-7381866 G25C BG-7391866 G25C BG-7401867 G25C BG-7411867 G25C BG-7421867 G25C BG-7431868 G25C BG-7441868 G25C BG-7451868 G25C BG-7461868 G25C BG-7471869 G25C BG-7481869 G25C BG-7491869 G25C BG-7501869 G25C BG-7511870 G25C BG-7521870 G25C BG-7531870 G25C BG-7541870 G25C BG-7551870 G25C BG-7561870 G25C BG-7571870 G25C BG-7581870 G25C BG-7591870 G25C BG-7601870 G25C BG-7611870 G25C BG-7621870 G25C BG-7631871 G25C BG-7641871 G25C BG-7651871 G25C BG-7661871 G25C BG-7671871 G25C BG-7681871 G25C BG-7691871 G25C BG-7701871 G25C BG-7711873 G25C BG-7721874 G25C BG-7731874 G25C BG-7741874 G25C BG-7751874/1874 G25C BG-7761875 G25C BG-7771876 G25C BG-7781876 G25C BG-7791876 G25C BG-7801875 G25C BG-7811875 G25C BG-7821875 G25C BG-7831875 G25C BG-7841876 G25C BG-7851876 25C BG-7861876 25C BG-7871881 G25C BG-7881870 25C BG-7891870 G25C BG-7891872/1 G25C BG-7901872 G25C BG-7911873/2 G25C BG-7921873/2 25C BG-7921873 G25C BG-7931873 G25C BG-7941874 G25C BG-7951874 25C BG-7951875 G25C BG-7961875 25C BG-7961875 25C BG-7971875 25C BG-7981876 G25C BG-7991876 25C BG-799A1876 G25C BG-799A1876 G25C BG-799B1876 25C BG-799B1876 25C BG-799C1876 25C BG-799D1876 25C BG-799E1876 G25C BG-799E1876 25C BG-799F1878/6 25C BG-799G1878/6 G25C BG-799G1880/70 25C BG-799H1880/70 25C BG-799I1880 G25C BG-799J1880 G25C BG-799K1880 25C BG-799K1880 25C BG-799L1880 G25C BG-799L1881 25C BG-799M1881 25C BG-799N1881 G25C BG-799O1874 25C BG-799P1874 25C BG-799P21874 G25C BG-799Q1874 25C BG-799Q1868 G25C BG-799R1868 G25C BG-799S1868 G25C BG-799T1852 25C BG-799U1852 25C BG-799V1880 G25C BG-799W1880 25C BG-799W1880 G25C BG-799X1880 G25C BG-799Y1881 G25C BG-799Z1881 25C BG-799AA1881 25C BG-799BB1882 25C BG-799CC1852 25C BG-799DD1852 G25C BG-799DD1874 25C BG-799EE1876 25C BG-799GG1858 25C BG-8001859 G25C BG-8011865 25C BG-8021865 25C BG-8031866 25C BG-8041867 G25C BG-8051868 G25C BG-8061870 G25C BG-8071870 G25C BG-8081870 G25C BG-808A1871 G25C BG-8091871 G25C BG-8101871 G25C BG-8111871 G25C BG-8121871 G25C BG-8131872 G25C BG-8141872 G25C BG-8151872 G25C BG-8161873 G25C BG-8171856 G25C BG-818A1872 G25C BG-818, Washington Head1860/50 G25C BG-8191863 G25C BG-8201864 G25C BG-8211865 G25C BG-8221865 G25C BG-822a1866 G25C BG-8231866 G25C BG-8241867 G25C BG-8251869 G25C BG-8261869 G25C BG-8271869 G25C BG-8281869 G25C BG-8291869 G25C BG-8301869 G25C BG-8311870 G25C BG-8321870 G25C BG-833(1870-1) G25C BG-8341870 G25C BG-8351870 G25C BG-835A1870 G25C BG-8361871 G25C BG-8371871 G25C BG-8381871 25C BG-8381871 G25C BG-8391871 G25C BG-8401871 G25C BG-8411873 G25C BG-8421874 G25C BG-8431874 G25C BG-8441874 G25C BG-8451875 G25C BG-8461875 G25C BG-8471875 G25C BG-8481876 G25C BG-8491876 G25C BG-8501876 G25C BG-8511876 G25C BG-8521876 G25C BG-8531881 G25C BG-853A1876 G25C BG-8541876 G25C BG-8551876 G25C BG-8561871 G25C BG-856A1871 G25C BG-8571871 G25C BG-8591871 G25C BG-8601871 G25C BG-8611871 G25C BG-8621871 G25C BG-863A1871 G25C BG-8641871 G25C BG-864A1871 G25C BG-8651864 G25C BG-8661870 G25C BG-8671872/1 G25C BG-8681872/1 G25C BG-8691872/1 G25C BG-8701873 G25C BG-8711873 G25C BG-8721873 G25C BG-8731873 G25C BG-8741874 G25C BG-8751874 G25C BG-875A1874 G25C BG-8761874 G25C BG-876A1875 G25C BG-8771875 G25C BG-8781876 G25C BG-8791876 G25C BG-8801876 25C BG-8811876 G25C BG-8821878/6 G25C BG-8831878/6 G25C BG-8841880/76 G25C BG-8851881 G25C BG-8861881 G25C BG-8871874 G25C BG-8881868 G25C BG-8891868 G25C BG-8901852 G25C BG-8911882 G25C BG-8921881 G25C BG-8931859 G50C BG-9011859 G50C BG-9021866 G50C BG-9031866 G50C BG-9041867 G50C BG-9051868 G50C BG-9061869 G50C BG-9071870 G50C BG-9081870 G50C BG-9091871 G50C BG-9101871 G50C BG-9111871 G50C BG-9121872 G50C BG-9131872 G50C BG-9141873 G50C BG-915(1856) G50C BG-915A1856 G50C BG-9161864 G50C BG-9171864 50C BG-917a Silver DT1864 G50C BG-9181869 G50C BG-9191870 G50C BG-9201870 G50C BG-9211870 G50C BG-9221871 G50C BG-9231871 G50C BG-9241871 G50C BG-9251871 G50C BG-9261871 G50C BG-9271873 G50C BG-9281874 G50C BG-9291874 G50C BG-9301875 G50C BG-930A1875/4 G50C BG-9311876 G50C BG-9321876 G50C BG-932A1875 G50C BG-9331875 G50C BG-9341876/6876 G50C BG-9351870 G50C BG-9361872/1 G50C BG-9371872 G50C BG-9381872 G50C BG-9391872 G50C BG-9401873/2 G50C BG-9411873 G50C BG-9421874/3 G50C BG-9431874 G50C BG-9441874 G50C BG-944A1874/3 G50C BG-9451875 G50C BG-9461875 G50C BG-9471875 G50C BG-9481876 G50C BG-9491876 G50C BG-9501876 G50C BG-9511878/6 G50C BG-9521878/6 G50C BG-952A1881 G50C BG-952B1876 G50C BG-9531880 G50C BG-9541880 G50C BG-9551881 G50C BG-9561881 G50C BG-9571874 G50C BG-9581874 G50C BG-958A1874 G50C BG-9591868 G50C BG-9601868 G50C BG-960A1868 G50C BG-9611852 G50C BG-9621852 G50C BG-962A1852 G50C BG-9631881 G50C BG-9641881 G50C BG-9651881 G50C BG-965A1882 G50C BG-9661859 G50C BG-10011859 G50C BG-10021859 G50C BG-10031859 G50C BG-10041865 G50C BG-10051866 G50C BG-10061867 G50C BG-10071868 G50C BG-10081869 G50C BG-10091870 G50C BG-10101871 G50C BG-10111873 G50C BG-10121872 G50C BG-10131860/56 G50C BG-10141864 G50C BG-10151864 50C BG-1015a Silver Die Trial1864 G50C BG-10161864 50C BG-1016a Silver Die Trial1864 50C BG-1016b Copper Die Trial1864 G50C BG-1016A1866 G50C BG-10171867 G50C BG-1018

From one type coin to a complete catalog

  • One representative coin: Choose one problem-free, readable example and learn the size, edge, and major design.
  • Major-type set: Use one coin per major design to show changes in artwork, composition, or production.
  • Dates and mints: Work through the issue catalog by date and mint, defining special finishes separately.

A note on catalog records

This page uses 500 issue records, 0 modeled varieties, and currently reported mintages; unknown values remain unknown.

Sources

  1. Small Investments: A Closer Look at Micro Money — Smithsonian National Museum of American History
  2. Three Gold Rarities That Escaped the Melting Pot — Smithsonian National Museum of American History
  3. California Fractional Gold category reference — PCGS CoinFacts