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On April 18, 1906, the City of San Francisco was devastated by the greatest natural disaster it had ever seen. At 5:12 AM, before most residents were even awake to see the morning fog roll in from the Bay, an 8.2 magnitude earthquake shook the city for 42 seconds that seemed like eternity. The quake was followed by rampant fires that roared for days on end. When it was all said and done, approximately 25,000 buildings were destroyed.
The booming influx of gold that was brought into the economy during the California Gold Rush was unfathomable. In fact, the sheer quantity of gold coming in triggered Congress to authorize a new branch mint in San Francisco during 1852. It would not be until two years later, in 1854, that the San Francisco Mint would open for operation. During this period of time, there was a massive coin shortage occurring on the west coast. As a result, many private assaying offices and mints began sprouting around California.
California has long been known as The Golden State, a nickname attributed to James W. Marshall’s discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill in 1848.
