The Bechtler family lived in Rutherford County, North Carolina from 1831 to 1852. Christopher Bechtler with his sons Augustus Bechtler and Charles Bechtler, and a nephew also named Christopher Bechtler, moved from Philadelphia to North Carolina in 1830. They bought a piece of land about three miles north of Rutherfordton, and opened up a watch making and jewelry business. At this time there was a very tight money supply and a coinage shortage. When gold was discovered in North Carolina, miners asked Bechtler to assay and stamp their gold. Since there were no laws prohibiting private coinage and shipment to Philadelphia was unsafe, Christopher decided to accommodate them and set up a private assay and coining business. Evidently he was efficient and provided good service because his business lasted for nearly twenty years.

Bechtler made everything himself. He made his own dies, punches, presses, and everything else needed to make coinage. His coins weighed what they were supposed to and were up to standard in fineness. Between 1831 and 1846, he coined over two million dollars in quarter and half eagles. Naturally there were contemporary counterfeits made from false dies using base metals. Authentication of all coins is highly recommended. (All USRCI coins are certified by one of the major grading services.)

On some of the half eagles the date AUGUST 1, 1834 is seen. The original Mint Act of 1834 that reduced the weight of circulating coins, called for the date to be added to the new coins. They changed their minds in favor of a design change omitting the motto; however, Bechtler had made his dies based on the news of the original Act.

The coins have three different inscriptions. They are NORTH CAROLINA GOLD, CAROLINA GOLD, and GEORGIA GOLD. These “location stamps” indicated the fineness of the particular issue.

When the Mints at Charlotte and Dahlonega opened, the Bechtler coin-making business diminished. In 1840 Christopher gave the business to his son, Augustus. Augustus moved to town and minted large quantities of gold dollars until he died in 1846. Christopher Jr. inherited the business from Augustus. However, Christopher was an alcoholic. People claimed that some of his coins were debased. He stopped making coins in 1850, just after the U.S. Mints began making coins in quantity. From then on, bullion went to the federal Mints for coinage.

All of the Bechtler coins used only numbers for the denomination and date, and letters for the legend that showed the location, and the Bechtler name. There were no other design motifs.

Of the three denominations, the rarest are the quarter eagles. In their population reports, both major grading services show 124 pieces of all types in all grades, and these numbers do not account for resubmissions and crossovers.