#57-The First Double Eagle
"I have made the discovery of a gold mine, which according to experiments we have made is extraordinarily rich.” -John Sutter
Hope you are having a great week!
I’m searching for the world's greatest collectibles, and exploring the journey of history's greatest creators.
Here’s a few things I’ve learned over the last few days -
#1 - The 1849 Double Eagle, One of One
The amazing creators story of the 1849 Liberty Head double eagle gold coin covers some of the most important events in U.S. history.
The sudden discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill that sparked the California Gold Rush in 1848 -
Then just one year later, the very first 1849 double eagle coin is created.
For the next 50 years, millions of Liberty Head double eagle coins would be struck by the U.S. Mint, backing the gold standard financial system around the world.
You wouldn't believe the impact this gold coin had on the world economy, and the future of the United States.
And no double eagle gold coin story would be complete without a cliffhanger...
Just how many 1849 double eagle coins are out there?
There must be someone who knows the full story...
#2 - Ted Williams, the Intensity of a Legend
They said Ted Williams had superhuman eyesight, and could count the stitches on the baseball as it was heading toward home plate.
It wasn't true.
In 1969, he published, 'My Turn at Bat: The Story of My Life,' and set the record straight on his eyes...
"The reason I saw things was that I was so intense."
Playing in the minor leagues in Minneapolis, he almost cut his hand off punching a glass water cooler in the dugout after making an out.
He saw the scar on his wrist the rest of his career as a reminder of his intensity. And just how lucky he was for not ending his career before it even got started.
Later he would say, “I have never been regarded especially as a man with great patience. Certainly as a young player I had none at all with myself.”
#3 - The Most Amazing Cars in the World
Coming soon!
I’ve been working on my next episode on one of the most amazing and historic collector cars ever created.
Something I’m learning about the greatest collector cars, is there’s aways a “force of nature,” behind the creation of these amazing machines.
The passion to build the best, the determination to bring a team together and align with the vision, and constant iteration and testing… these are a few of my favorite themes from my collector car episodes.
Here’s a few of my recent car stories to keep you up to speed, enjoy!
There was definitely a “force of nature” behind the creation of the Porsche 917. Here’s the story -
And one of my favorite car creators, Gordon Murray. Is there anyone cooler than Gordon Murray? Probably not.
I’m searching for the world's greatest collectibles, and exploring the journey of history's greatest creators.
My search for the full story leads me to the oldest, most obscure sources… rare books, forgotten interviews, and even hand-written letters.
And that’s where it really starts to get fun… The amazing people who were driven to create. Against all the odds - to leave their mark.
My goal is to keep the creators story alive, share the most important concepts and lessons, and inspire the next generation of great creators…
Let me know what stories you would like to hear next, I’d love any suggestions.
Please subscribe and share this with someone who might enjoy it - my goal is to inspire them to want to - learn more!
Thanks for reading, and have a great week!