Although the history of “Mormon Gold” coinage and currency largely bypasses events which took place in and around Independence, Missouri—at the time, Saints used U.S. and regional bank currency for the most part, being driven from the State by the Governor Boggs’ Extermination Order in 1838 before having the oppurtunity to build a Temple, let alone found a new bank—the story of Mormon currency and the coinage produced upon arrival in the Utah (Deseret) Territory has intrigued me thoroughly, with very detailed accounts accompanying in partiular online auctions in recent years by Heritage Auctions (www.HA.com), which I recommend to the interested.

The video clip you’ve included regarding currency is a wonderful “teaser” on this subject. Sadly, as you’ve pointed out, the vast majority of Mormon Gold coinage was melted down for its alleged sub-standard weight or alloyed gold value, though this appears largely to have been the result of a slur, rumors invented and directed against early Utah pioneers by their trading rivals and critics.

As late as 1933, when Roosevelt recalled US gold coinage from general circulation, Mormon Gold was still being turned in and melted in exchange for its “face value” in paper money. What a shame…

Again, thank you for the post. I’ve tweeted a link today to it, which perhaps a few will follow… But it is a big, and to me a vastly fascinating, subject… if I had the means (I was a childhood coin collector in truest sense, culling interesting coins from circulation) this would certainly be an area of focus.