20 Dollars - British Columbia Silver Pattern

Reverse

Denomination atop date in wreath. Initials of engravers underneath.

Script: Latin

Lettering:
20 Dollars
1862
KUNER A.

Edge

Reeded

Comment

Specimen silver 20 Dollar pieces. A total of 10 20 dollar pieces were created, with a distribution between two silver, one gold and one gilt variants. These were made due to a gold rush in British Columbia and a need for hard currency as the colony was reliant on primarily American and British Gold coinage. These patterns were made to be sent to  the International Exhibition held in London after pressure was applied by BC Treasurer Gosset. The Governor of British Columbia in 1859 had requested for a number of gold, silver and copper coins to be transferred to British Columbia however, only a few silver and copper coins were sent. With the Cariboo Gold Rush under way, he sought to get the right to mint gold in BC from the Monarch in order to meet local needs and decrease dependance on American currency. These patterns were ordered from Mr. Wagner of Vanderslices Silver Manufactory in California who employed Albrecht Kurner to create the dies and then struck the pieces. Five Sets are known to exist and up to 10 may exist.  The plan was torpedoed in London (as minting coins, especially gold, was a royal prerogative) and no further coins were minted until confederation with the rest of Canada. The proposed site for a local mint was New Westminster.  These coins in gold reportedly had the exact same composition and dimensions as contemporary American Gold pieces (much as the later Canadian pieces would)

These pieces come in two variations - those in coin alignment and those in medal alignment. 

Interesting fact