Cincinnati Mining & Trading Co. – 1849

Learn About the Cincinnati Mining and Trading Company

Very little is known about the origins of the Cincinnati Mining & Trading company. It is believed that the company had several gold coins dies created while still in Cincinnati and their intention was to go to California to get the Gold miners to trade their gold dust with the company so they could strike it into these coins. So for a California Gold company, they never struck any gold coins actually in California. Most of the coins struck for them are patterns, very limited in mintage and each weighs about 33 grams.

In California, it is likely that the Cincinnati Mining and Trading Company likely used Broderick & Koehler to strike some of their coins for them. Broderick & Koehler struck coins using dies for the Miners Bank and for the Pacific Company. 

But Broderick & Koehler ran into their own problems and they were publicly discredited by strong rumors of incorrect assays and debasement of a number of their products.

The coins were struck by hand rather than in coining presses so they were crude at best. And the designs were unusual and not at all like the designs of most California private gold coins.

The obverse of the coins depicted an allegorical representation of Miss Liberty, wearing an Indian headdress. Around the obverse, the periphery is “CINCINNATI MINING & TRADING COMPANY. The reverse has an American eagle holding a shield and an olive branch. Around the top periphery is “CALIFORNIA TEN DOLLARS.” and at the bottom, of the periphery is the date “1849.”

Two varieties of this Ten Dollar denomination were struck – one with a plain edge and one with a Reeded Edge.

Reportedly there was a $5 denomination struck in Copper with a Plain Edge (NOT IMAGED). Most specimens exist in high circulated or uncirculated conditions as the coins did not circulate.

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