The Money Makers
Gold was more abundant in North Carolina
than in most other states, but gold coins,
as a medium of exchange, were not. Gold
dust, nuggets, and jewelry, awkward as they
may seem, circulated as currency because
so few dared to make the long trip to the
mint at Philadelphia. Some of the gold made
its way east or southeast to New Bern,
Wilmington, or Charleston and from there,
no doubt, to Europe where it was minted or
struck into foreign currency — lost forever to
the American economy. Money problems
were further complicated by the scarcity of
state and federal currency and the unstable
nature of government paper money.
The arrival of
Ch r istopher
Bechtler, his son
Augustus, and a
nephew Chris¬
topher, .lr. , to
Rutherford Coun¬
ty, North Caro¬
lina, marked the
beginning of
monetary relief
for much of the
Southeast. The
Bechtlers, who
were experienc¬
ed German metal
workers from the
Grand Duchy of
Baden, had come to America in 1829. They
settled briefly in Pennsylvania before
coming to North Carolina in 1830. It was
fortunate that the Bechtlers came to Ruther-
fordton, for in 1830 Rutherford County was
practically the geographic center of the
gold mining district of the United States.
This district included North Carolina west
of the Yadkin River, a small area of north¬
western South Carolina, and a portion of
north Georgia.
A short time after opening a jewelry shop
in Rutherfordton, Christopher Bechtler, the
elder, realized that the economy of the area
was hindered by the lack of gold in circula-
lation. Congress had failed to improve the
situation when it rejected a petition by the
gold miners to have a branch of the United
States mint set up in the area. So, Bechtler
fabricated the idea of coining gold himself,
and “at the suggestion of several gentle¬
men of highest standing” among the miners,
began what was the most important private
mint to operate in the Southeast.
After having manufactured their own dies
and press, the Bechtlers, by July, 1831, had
begun striking coins in at least two denomi¬
nations— $2.50 and $5.00 pieces. For several
weeks, beginning with July 2, 1831, Chris¬
topher Bechtler
ran an ad in the
North Carolina
Spectator and
Western Adver¬
tiser (Ruther¬
fordton) announ¬
cing the estab¬
lishment and lo-
cation of his
mint three and
one-half miles
north of Ruther¬
fordton. Some¬
time during 1832
the Bechtler
$1.00 gold piece
appeared, which
was the first
gold dollar to be coined in the United
States.
Christopher Bechtler was truly an expert
in the field of assaying gold. When some of
his coins were noticeably heavier than
others of the same denomination, the govern¬
ment sent agents to investigate. They found,
however, that the appropriate amount of gold
was in each coin, which was more than
could be said of the coins struck at the
government mint in Philadelphia. Since the
Bechtlers used the proper amount of gold
in each coin, it took more gold to make a
coin from the impure varieties found in
РПМГ-
iH tiw '
NOTICE
хоао£1)шп1ш.1&отавм.
СВ КС
HTLER, informs all interested in the
• gold mines and in assaying and bringing
die gold of the mine* into ingots or piecesof astnn-
dird value that he is now prepared to away and
stamp gold, to any amount, to a standard of 20 ca¬
rats. making it into pieces of $2-5Oand#5.00valu«.
at his establishment
-Ц
mile» north of Rathcrford
ton. on the road leading from 'Rutherfordton to
Jeaustown. The following are his prices :
For simply fluxmg rough gold. } per cent
For fluxing gold— to be stamped. { pyr ecul..
For assaying gold, any quantity less
than 3 lbs., $1.00
For stamping. 24 per cenl.
July 2. 1831. 20tf
Shi
FTba
tCot
lendanl»
Stale : U
forriix w
lc
the'
next Co
afoisait
of Septe
tenj thei
Coniplai
licnlprO
Teste
1
! H
Cotjnty
Me feee
1831 Bechtler Advertisement
-6-
