Ok, here's the deal. My great grandfather was a
butcher in Carson City, having moved there in 1859. His shop was the Eagle
Market. His name was Matt Rinckel. Wife was Marcella. Matt was known to almost
all as the town was small and Virginia City was the largest city in the area due
to the gold/silver ores found there (the reason for the mint). Matt fed many a
miner. He also owned the local racetrack and helped relieve the miners of those
hard earned cartwheels.
Being a fairly wealthy man he hob-knobbed with them all. From Governor Blasdel
to Abe Curry to Sam Clemens (the home next to Matts was his). The mint was a big
event in CC history and Abe was very well aware of this. Opening was delayed but
eventually the Philadelphia mint decided that 1870 was the year and shipped dies
with that date.
The dies arrived in Carson City in December of 1869. Abe wanting to test the
process and the equipment began test runs with the new dies. After adjustments
and being fairly satisfied with the results he minted 3 dollars. He had them all
engraved with the initials of the persons he gave them to. MMR to my great
grandfather and grandmother (Matt and Marcella Rinckel). The other two were
given to Gov Blasdel and the President of the United States, US Grant.
The way it happened was this: At noon on a day in December, Abe stopped by Matt
and Marcella's home on the corner of King and Curry. Marcella answered the door
and Abe said: Marcella, please hold out your hand. We have begun the minting of
the finest dollars ever to be minted and I give you this dollar so that you will
never be broke. This is the first dollar ever minted in Carson City.
Now Matt came to the door to see what was up and they all went to the kitchen
and discussed the huge economic help the mint would be to Carson. Marcella
showed Matt the coin. Matt died in 1879. Marcella lived into the 1930's.
Together they had 5 children. One daughter, my great aunt Louise, ended up with
the dollar. Marcella had carried it with her all her years. Louise not wanting
to carry the dollar had her husband, a jeweler and silversmith, mount the coin
in a bracelet. Louise died in the early 60's and my mother inherited the dollar.
She died in '97 and now I have it.
Besides the family hearsay I have documented the story via a newspaper article
in the Reno Evening Gazette. What I desperately need to do is find at least one
of the other coins to prove that this story is fact not fiction.
I have no access to the mint records as they were shipped east in the mid 60's
from the museum in the mint building. Gov. Blasdel retired to Oakland California
and he had two children. A boy and a girl. All are buried in the family plot in
Oakland. I find that neither child ever got married or had their own children so
have no idea where to look for that dollar. President US Grant? Don't know where
to look for that coin either.
So, just a small time collector in Vegas with a coin that may have some history.
I would sure like to know if it is a true story or not. So, that is why I posted
the WTB thread.
Please keep an eye out for me will ya?