Wikimedia Commons/Bob Merchant Collection of U.S. Numismatic Postcards
The Charlotte Mint’s Dangerous Gold Rush Transformation
North Carolina miners once risked their lives on a 500-mile trek to Philadelphia just to turn gold into money. The trip took weeks on rough roads where bandits lurked.
In 1837, the Charlotte Mint changed everything. Workers like John Bolton used old-style screw presses to stamp out pale-yellow coins with a special “C” mark. Despite a fire in 1844, the mint cranked out 1.
2 million gold coins worth $5 million before Confederate forces shut it down in 1861. The Mint Museum Randolph now showcases these rare coins and original equipment from America’s first gold rush.
Wikimedia Commons
Miners Risked Their Lives on the Philadelphia Gold Trail
Before 1837, North Carolina miners faced a tough journey. They hauled raw gold over 500 miles to Philadelphia on dirt roads using horse-drawn wagons…