"California" doosje voor miniatuurpenningen 1849 1849

This miniature coin case was designed by Joseph Moore in 1849. It encapsulates the heady optimism surrounding the California gold rush. One side depicts the tools and activities of mining, alongside images of California’s natural resources. The other side captures an urban scene, with a ship offshore and colonnaded buildings lining the waterfront. The text reads "Legislature of California". The imagery speaks to the period’s sense of limitless economic and political possibilities, but who would benefit from this new prosperity? We can better understand this coin case through its historical and social context. Records from the California State Legislature reveal debates over land ownership and mining rights. We also see a dramatic increase in the non-native population. It is within this frame that the politics of this imagery can be explored.