Undated (1837-1842) Christopher Bechtler $2.50
K-13, Inverted V for A
Christopher Bechtler and his son Augustus and nephew Christopher, Jr. operated their own private mint in Rutherfordton, North Carolina from 1830 to 1852. The coins were struck at two sites, one at their home in Rutherfordton and another near their mine just north of town. They also produced the United States' first gold dollar in 1831. Originally housed at the American Numismatic Society Museum, the coin press and several of the dies are currently on display at the Bechtler House Museum in Rutherfordton.
Kagin-13 is a seventh series C. Bechtler issue, without the first initial C in the legend. Another interesting aspect to this particular $2.50 variety is the use of an inverted V for A in the legend. Our offerings for this variety in recent decades have been few and far between, some of which have been for impaired coins. Bechtler's gold coinage circulated widely in the South for decades, explaining the generally low quality among survivors across all denominations and varieties.
The example to the left was sold by Stack's Bowers Galleries in the Spring 2022 Showcase Auction, where it realized $52,800.