NEW YORK — If you have an extra $300,000 to $500,000 burning a hole in your pocket, you can own a piece of transcontinental railroad history.
Upon completion the first transcontinental railroad in May 1869 at Promontory Summit, Utah, four ceremonial spikes were created: two golden spikes, a silver spike, and a gold, silver, and iron spike supplied by the Arizona Territory and given to Union Pacific President Oliver Ames.
Now Christie’s of New York is going to put the “Arizona Spike” up for auction Jan. 27.
It’s believed that the spike was made by G.W. Laird in San Francisco in 1869, but this hasn’t been confirmed. It has a gold head, a silver shaft, and an iron spike at the base. Each of the four sides of the spike are engraved, and a message reads “Ribbed with iron, clad in silver and crowned with gold Arizona presents her offering to the enterprise that has banded a continent, dictated a pathway to commerce. Presented by Governor Safford.”
According to Christie’s, “As a significant piece of American history its value is understandably priced accordingly, with the current estimate sitting at between $300,000 – $500,000.”
Visit the Christie’s site for more information or to bid.
Who is the seller? Has it been in private hands all these years?
According to Christie’s site, their provenance history shows the following:
PROVENANCE
Anson P.K. Safford (1830-1891) – Sidney Dillon (1812-1892) – by descent to Florence Dillon Wyckoff Whitney (1877-1960) — gift to the Museum of the City of New York, 1943.
So it appears that the Museum of the City of New York is the current owner and is looking to make some money off of the spike. Hopefully, another museum will pick it up.
Maybe if I hit the Mega Millions game to night ! lol