How to Buy California Gold Rush Coins

Decide whether you want to buy an authentic California Gold Rush coin or if you want to buy a reproduction. Authentic coins cost a lot more money than reproductions and some show a lot of wear. Reproductions cost less, are in good condition and are collector items but they are not the original coins.

Find reproduction coins at museums and on the Internet. Some museums, such as the Liberty Bell Museum, offer a variety of California Gold Rush coin replicas.

Research the type and quality of the California Gold Rush coins you wish to buy. The federal government did not open a mint in San Francisco until the mid 1850's. Until then, private companies made coins. Some of these private companies were not completely honest about how much gold their coins contained, so the quantity of gold in the coins can vary.

Buy coins from dealers, at auctions or on eBay. Some coins, such as the 1849 Moffat &Co. $5 coins, were common at the time so they are more easy to find. Others, like some of the fractional gold coins, are very rare and usually only available at auctions.