Mining Scene, illustrated J.M. Hutchings' California Envelope design on cover to Noxes Corners, N.Y., franked with 1851, 3¢ dull red, top margin horizontal pair canceled by light pen and grid handstamps, bold "Forbestown, Cal, Apr 12" rimless oval postmark (BUT-1650, R5); some light cover edge wear and small tear at top center, otherwise Very Fine, an attractive usage of this popular illustrated miner's cover from Forbestown, illustrated in Coburn's Letters of Gold (page 313). Scott Nos. 11A  Estimate $1,000 - 1,500. $0 (Image)

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 Vermont with blue "Sutter Creek, Cal." double circle postmark & double oval "Paid" handstamp; trivial corner mends at left, Very Fine, one of the finer examples of this popular and scarce illustrated mining design. Estimate  $1,000 - 1,500. $0 (Image)

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." . $0 (Image)