A big, 155-year-old steadiness scale that weighed a whole lot of thousands and thousands of {dollars} in gold and silver within the nineteenth century on the Carson Metropolis, Nevada Mint–together with bullion from the legendary Comstock Lode–is being supplied in an public sale in Reno and on-line by Holabird Western Americana Collections on November 24, 2024. Along with its essential operate on the Mint, the historic scale was later a featured attraction for many years at a on line casino in Sparks, Nevada.
“That is the unique Carson Metropolis Mint bullion scale constructed for the United States Treasury Division in 1869 by the dimensions and steadiness producer Henry Troemner and Firm of Philadelphia. It was in operation the day the Mint opened in 1870,” stated Fred Holabird, president of Holabird Western Americana Collections.
The Carson Metropolis Mint stopped making cash in 1893 and the Mint’s constructing that’s now dwelling to the Nevada State Museum was used as an assay workplace between 1900 and 1933.
When the assay workplace closed, many of the contents of the outdated Mint have been thought of ineffective junk by the Treasury Division and subsequently discarded, in line with Holabird.
“It’s believed the five-foot tall scale that was constructed right into a waist-high desk for ease in use on the Mint was acquired by an area resident and later turned an attraction on the Nugget On line casino that opened in Sparks, Nevada in 1955. The on line casino’s Normal Supervisor, John Ascuaga, bought the on line casino from his boss in 1959 and continued to show the dimensions there. The Ascuaga household bought the Nugget On line casino in 2013 however privately saved the historic scale intact, in excellent situation, and in full working order,” stated Holabird.
“When it was publicly displayed for many years, the Carson Metropolis Mint’s scale was a kind of nice, particular issues that you just didn’t must be a coin collector to understand. That is a very powerful numismatic artifact to floor in lots of many years and is actually a treasure discovered,” said Holabird.
For added data, contact Holabird Western Americana Collections by telephone at 775-851-1859 or go to on-line at www.HolabirdAmericana.com. Within the public sale that closes on November 24, 2025, the Carson Metropolis Mint steadiness scale is lot number 4001.
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