Special medallion to be minted Saturday in Carson City
Special medallions commemorating the historical Coach 17 train car will be minted on Coin Press No. 1 at the Nevada State Museum, Carson City. Coach 17 is the rail car that was present at Promontory Summit, Utah, in 1869, when the nation’s first transcontinental railroad was completed. It is part of the Nevada State Railroad Museum’s collection.
The minting will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 22 at the Nevada State Museum, 600 N. Carson St. in Carson City
The Nevada State Museum will fire up its 150-year-old Coin Press No. 1 to continue minting a limited-series medallion that commemorates the Nevada State Railroad Museum’s Coach 17 – the only rail car still in existence that was present at the completion of the nation’s first transcontinental railroad at Promontory Summit in Utah.
Museum volunteers will be demonstrating the coin press. Visitors interested in buying a medallion may purchase a silver coin blank in the museum store and bring it to the coin press gallery. Coin Press No. 1 was the first coin press in the Carson City Mint and it produced millions in gold and silver coins in its heyday.
The 30 mm, .999 fine silver medallion features an image of Coach 17 with the words “Promontory Car, Transcontinental Railroad, 1869-2019 and an image of a railroad spike. The event at Promontory in 1869 featured the ceremonial driving of golden and silver spikes to mark the joining of the Central and Union Pacific railroad lines.