The Savage Mining Company was founded by A.O. and L.C. Savage in 1859 on the Comstock Lode. Neighbors were the Gould & Curry and Hale & Norcross holdings. Silver ore was extracted for the first few years and the mine expanded through acquisition of two other mining companies’ holdings. After 1865 successful extraction declined, principally due to flooding encountered in the mines. By 1875 the Savage had combined with the Chollar-Potosi and Hale & Norcross companies. The Savage Mining Company’s records extend to 1920.
Savage Mining Company. Virginia City, Nevada. Silver & gold assay ingot, 1869
Overall appearance of Extremely Fine. Nice, medium silver gray in color. An interesting, flat bar run off into a narrow, shallow mould longer than the ingot here. Flat long sides, one short side cleanly sheared, the other mechanically separated from the rest of the pour.
Ethnic and metallic designations in logotype, numerals by individual punches (large punched over smaller ones). The piece has the look of a bar pulled off a longer melt, stamped and saved as a souvenir. George Bauer showed a Savage Mining Company bar dated 1869 at the April 30, 1937 meeting of the Westchester County Coin Club.
It is possible that the present lot is the same bar but the provenance chain is broken after 1937. This was one of three silver bars offered to Mr. Ford by Jim Ruddy in 1960. According to Mr. Ford’s notes, Ruddy had obtained the bar from Charles W. Foster of Rushville, New York in August, 1960.
- Face: GOLD $1.80 / SILVER $3.60 / $5.40.
- Back: SAVAGE M. Co. / 1869.
- Top side: blank.
- Bottom side: blank.
- Left side: blank.
- Right side: blank.
- Dimensions: 66.4 x 32.2 x 4.8 mm.
- Current weight: 94.14 gms.
From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection
Provenance: Ex Charles W. Foster Collection in August, 1960, Jim Ruddy (Empire Coin Company, Inc.), offered with two others to Mr. Ford at $400, declined, traded by Ruddy to Art Kagin at the October 28, 1960 MANA convention in Washington, D.C. Mr. Ford’s informational card, Stack’s photographs, and Ruddy’s approval invoice dated 8-30-60 accompany the lot.
[10/2007] https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/lots/view/3-AV6PX/savage-mining-company-virginia-city-nevada-silver-gold-assay-ingot-1869 ($18,400)
[08/2017] https://www.icollector.com/Nevada-Virginia-City-Savage-Mining-Company-1869-Gold-and-Silver-Ingot-5-40-EF_i27907321 ($11,750)