In The Mother Lode Region of California, W.H. Strong notes:
North Star Drift Mine. This is two miles south of Mokelumne Hill . . . The channel has been reached by means of a cross-cut tunnel, in 1,360 feet, March, 1900. This tunnel is 6’/i by 10’/j feet. Nine men are employed, there being as yet no machinery. North Star Mining Company, owners. P. Schuman of Mokelumne Hill, superintendent.
The Report of the State Minerologist for the Two Years Ending September 15, 1896, by J.J. Crawford notes:
North Star Mine (quartz). It is two miles east of West Point and has a 30 foot shaft in a vein in granite. M.D. Wickham of West Point, owner.
The following ingot indicates that gold from the North Star Mine was refined into ingots and issued with appropriate stamps.
However, according to Kleeberg in “How the West Was Faked”:
The North Star Mine gold bar weighs 2 1/2 ounces, yet is stamped “U.S. MINT S.F.” A bar, made to a weight that the U.S. Mint cannot accept, is stamped with this seal of approval (Bowers & Ruddy 3/1982:89). The North Star Mine bar cannot be genuine.
*** While there is no definitive evidence pointing to a forgery, we are leaning towards this being a fantasy piece and since it was handled by Ford, we are attributing it to him at this time.
2.5 oz North Star Mine $46.71 Gold Ingot
North Star Mine, Calaveras County, California, 1900. 2Vi ounce gold ingot, $46.71 value. Extremely Fine or better condition, virtually as issued.
The ingot is rectangular in shape and bears inscription from individual letter and number punches. The front of the bar, as illustrated, indicates the weight of 2 VI ounces, the fineness of 904 thousandths, and the value of $46.71 at the U.S. Mint in San Francisco. The back bears the date 1900, the mine name and location, and notes: “ASSAY BY P.S. SUP,” apparently a reference to P. Schuman.
An important turn-of-century California gold item.
Obtained from John J. Ford, Jr., 1968.
[03/1982] https://archive.org/details/henryhcliffordco1982bowe/page/n65/