An exceptionally rare $10 gold coin from the California Gold Rush era, dating to 1852, sold at auction for $354,375 after attracting 74 bids. The coin is one of only six known examples in existence and is the only known specimen in mint state condition, making it a significant find for collectors and demonstrating the enduring appeal of Gold Rush-era currency.

The coin was minted by Wass, Molitor & Company, a private San Francisco refinery established by two Hungarian exiles in 1848. The firm's coins entered circulation in 1852 and remain extremely rare because the company ceased operations in 1854 when the US Mint opened a branch in California. The coin features Liberty and thirteen stars on the obverse, with a bald eagle and shield on the reverse; notably, four of the six other known examples were recovered from the SS Central America shipwreck.