August Bechtler and the Six Types of 1840’s Carolina Gold
Gold was discovered in Western North Carolina around 1825. It was an important strike but not as much as was found in California some 20+ years later and in 1828, Gold was found in Georgia, near Dahlonega.
But enough Gold was found in North Carolina and in Georgia to attract the attention of German Metallurgist, Christopher Bechtler. He was accompanied and assisted by his son, August, and by his nephew, also named Christian. They believed that by opening up a private mint, many miners would rather have them turn their gold dust and ore into gold coins than risk the 900-mile round trip to Philadelphia to have the US Mint do the same thing. The Bechtlers had proven themselves by converting the dust or ore into coins and by doing honest and accurate assays. This gave their privately-minted gold coins respectability and many people wanted to trade with them.
Late in the year 1840, Christopher Bechtler turned over control of the mint operations to his son August. But less than 18 months later, Christopher died leaving all to him. August continued to strike coins as his father had done.
August decided to move the minting operation to a home in downtown Rutherfordton. The house still stands today. While in his new location, August produced a large quantity of A. Bechtler $1.00 Gold coins. These coins, due to the surviving number of specimens, are the most available and affordable of all the Bechtler gold coins ever struck. It is probably one of the most affordable of all US Territorial gold coins produced in the United States.
August produced $1 and $5 gold pieces. There are six different varieties. The $1.00 Gold Piece has a large “1” in the center of the obverse with “A. BECHTLER. * DOL:” around the periphery. The reverse has “27. G.” in the center, “21. C.” on the lower periphery and “CAROLINA GOLD.” on the upper periphery.
The remaining coins that August struck were all of the $5.00 denomination. The next coin is a $5.00 Gold Piece weighing 134 Grains. The obverse has “5 DOLLARS.” on two lines, with the last line circular. The top periphery has “A. BECHTLER.” and the bottom periphery has “RUTHERFORD *” using a five-pointed star.
The next coin is also a $5 gold coin with 134 Grains in Weight. The reverse is exactly the same, but the obverse uses an old Christian Bechtler die rather than an August Bechtler die.
The next coin is also a $5 gold coin with 128 Grains in weight. It uses the correct August Bechtler dies on both sides.
The next coin is also a $5 gold coin but it is the heaviest with 141 Grains in weight and 20 carats that August Bechtler ever produced.
The last coin is a restrike of the August Bechtler strike, in PROOF, using the original dies and struck about 1920 by famous coin dealer Henry Chapman. These proof restrikes are much rarer and much more valuable than the original (1830-1850s) coins!
Proof of the acceptance of their assay and coinage was even after the federal government built a US Mint facility in nearby Dahlonega, Georgia in 1838, the Bechtlers continued to strike and circulate gold coins into the 1850s.
After August’s death, his cousin, Christopher Bechtler, continued to strike August’s coinage but the assay was much lower and his coins became significantly less popular.
| Date | Type | Mintage | VF Value | AU Value |
| (ND) | $1.00 Gold Coin | Common for Type | $2,000 | $3,500 |
| (ND) | $5.00 Gold Coin 134 Grains | Scarce | $7,000 | $17,500 |
| (ND) | $5.00 Gold Coin, 134 Grains, C. Bechtler Obverse | Extremely RARE | Priceless | Priceless |
| (ND) | $5.00 Gold Coin, 128 Grains | RARE | $16,500 | $30,000 |
| (ND) | $5.00 Gold Coin, 141 Grains | RARE | $13,500 | $27,000 |
| (ND) | Chapman Restrike (1920) Proof | RARE | $25,000 | $40,000 |
Expand your collection today and shop for an (1837-42) $1 Carolina Gold C Bechtler MS-63 NGC.
