Lot
569 
Mining Scene, illustrated miner's design depicting Miner Panning for Gold with Long Tom in Background, with imprint "J.M. Hutchings' California Envelope" at left and "Anthony & Baker SC" engraver's imprint at bottom right of design, on cover to Greenville, Conn., with "Weaverville, Cal., Oct 4" oval postmark with manuscript date and matching "10" rate handstamp; cover professionally restored with flaps reattached, Very Fine appearance. Estimate $500 - 750.
According to Kutz (Gold Fever, pg. 62): "The early miners formed syndicates and worked as a group using 'Long Toms' to extract the gold. In essence it was an elongated sluice box with riffles or sacking in the bottom to catch the gold. A continuous current of water washed the gravel through the Long Tom, leaving the contained gold behind." .
Realized: $600