Government-issued currency was always in short supply on the frontier. Golden’s early merchants were accustomed to accepting gold as payment, and reportedly kept small scales on hand to weigh it. They also accepted agricultural commodities in trade for other goods.
156 Years Ago
The September 1, 1869 Colorado Transcript includes several examples of “trade.” The Pacific Insurance Company accepted “Currency or Gold.” Bell’s Stone-Ware Pottery exchanged pottery for “Ranch Produce.” Clark & Doolittle took either “Greenbacks or Country Produce.”
Of course, the best offer came from George West, publisher of the Transcript:
We trust our subscribers in the country who are in arears, will not forget to set aside grain enough to liquidate our claim when they do their threshing. We shall be glad to take wheat or oats at market prices for your indebtedness or for new subscription. To those who call upon us we will furnish sacks for the purpose.
