How Wass, Molitor & Co. Was Founded
Samuel Wass and Agoston Molitor were Hungarian patriots during Hungary’s war for independence from Austria. Wass and Molitor had attended the School of Mines in Germany, so both men had practical knowledge of mining and geology. In 1851, Wass and Molitor met up in California and established an assaying office in San Francisco. Starting in 1852, they minted $5, $10, $20, and $50 gold coins.
Coin Details
In 1852, their first $5 gold coin was struck, and it resembled the $5 Liberty Head Gold Coin that was produced by the U.S. Mint from 1795 to 1908. The obverse depicted Lady Liberty facing left, encircled by 13 six-pointed stars, with the date below. On Lady Liberty’s headband, instead of “LIBERTY” was “W. M. & Co.”
The reverse displayed the federal eagle, the shield covering its breast, wings outstretched and upraised, with an olive branch in one talon and 3 arrows in the other. Around the periphery was “IN CALIFORNIA GOLD” and down at the bottom “FIVE DOLLARS.”
The next coin struck was also another $5.00 gold coin, but this one had a re-engraved large head for Miss Liberty. All other elements were identical.
The third coin was a very similar-designed Small Head $10 Gold coin. The design was exactly the same as the Small Head $5.00 gold coin, only this was a larger $10 Gold Coin, used “TEN D.” as the denomination, and instead of “IN CALIFORNIA GOLD” adorning the periphery, it was changed to “S.M.V. CALIFORNIA GOLD across the periphery.
The fourth gold coin was identical in design and notation to the $10.00 Small Head Gold Coin, except that this $10.00 used the re-engraved larger Liberty Head.
The fifth type of coin struck is very similar to the Large Head $10.00 Gold coin, except that the numerals in the date are unusually close to one another. The last time that coin was at auction was in 1996 – NOT IMAGED. The sixth type of Wass Molitor coin struck was an 1855-Dated $10.00 Gold Coin. Aside from the date, it is identical to the Large Head $10.00 Gold Coin in all respects.
The next 1855-dated coin, and seventh type overall, was an 1855 Twenty Dollar Gold coin with a larger size, an 1855 date on the obverse, and the small-head engraving variety. The reverse depicts a smaller eagle; above the eagle is a banner inscribed with “.900 THOUS.” Around the periphery is “SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA” as well as the new denomination for this larger size coin “TWENTY DOL.”
The eighth type of coin struck by Wass, Molitor was a 1855-dated $20.00 Gold Coin, except that the Liberty Head was of a large size. Other than that, the coin was exactly the same as the seventh type.
The ninth and final type of coin struck by Wass, Molitor was a $50 “slug”. Massive in size and unique among other coins, the obverse bore the date “1855” as well as 13 six-pointed stars around the periphery. Lady Liberty did not bear the company’s name or have any other markings on her headband.
The reverse of the coin did not depict an eagle. Instead, the central vignette was the words “50 DOLLARS” within a wreath branching around the letters. Above the wreath was the banner “.900 THOUS.” and around the periphery were “SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA” and “WASS MOLITOR & Co.”
The End of Wass, Molitor & Co.
By 1855, Wass, Molitor & Co. had ceased operations after all of their 1855-dated issues had been distributed. Several years after the company ceased operations, Molitor returned to the assaying business, this time with his son, Stephen. They operated an office across the street from the recently built United States Mint in San Francisco. Expand your collection today and shop our assortment of Pre-1933 U.S. Gold Coins.
