The above weights were probably used during the Klondike Gold Rush. The weight on the far right was made by J.L. Sale, a jeweller on Dawson City’s Front Street. A photo of his shop is shown to the right of this column.
It seems incredible that gold is about 100 times the value it was at during the Klondike heyday. The gold-rush era weights are not too common. Alaskan rare- coin dealer Dick Hansom, of Fairbanks, has some that are marked J.L. Sale also. He mentions that Sale, the jeweller, had stores in both Dawson and Fairbanks. I believe many other jewellers produced these weights.
In his book, Frozen Gold, the late John Gould had a piece regarding these weights. Gould’s book is a unique and wonderful piece of history.
Anyone with information about this subject, please write Jim Robb: The Colourful Five Per Cent Scrapbook - Can You Identify? c/o the Yukon News, 211 Wood Street, Whitehorse, Yukon, Y1A 2E4, or email through the News website, www.yukon-news.com.