An exceptionally rare 1862 Nevada Territory receipt issued to Samuel Clemens (better known as author Mark Twain) for his work as a legislative reporter sold for $23,125, and a pair of 1871 documents appointing the melter and refiner to the Carson City, Nev., Mint, one of them signed by President Ulysses S. Grant, rang up $15,625 in a huge, four-day Desert Riches Auction held Jan. 31 to Feb. 3 by Holabird Western Americana Collections LLC. The event was packed with more than 2,100 lots in numerous collecting categories to include mining, gold, numismatics, scripophily, Native Americana, railroadiana, philatelic and general Americana. The first three days were live sessions, hosted in Holabirds Reno gallery. The fourth day was a timed-only session, hosted exclusively on iCollector.com and LiveAuctioneers.com. We chose the name Desert Riches to honor the gold specimens, stock certificates, mining artifacts and railroad pieces in this sale from the California desert mining camps in Inyo County and Death Valley, as well as from Arizona and Nevada, said Fred Holabird, the president and owner of Holabird Western Americana Collections LLC. Overall it was a tremendous success. The Samuel Clemens receipt from the Territory of Nevada House of Representatives in Carson City, dated Dec. 20, 1862, reads in part, To the Territorial Auditor, We hereby certify that Saml. L. Clemens is entitled to the sum of Two Hundred and Forty Dollars for forty days services as Reporter etc. for the House. signed John H. Mills, Speaker. Clemens signed the reverse side. Also sold was a Pony Express Virginia City (Nev.) cover sent the same month Clemens arrived in town to work for the Territorial Enterprise, in September 1862. Wells, Fargo & Co.s Virginia Pony Express began operations on Aug. 8, 1862, using the 10-cent fee for a half-ounce letter. The rate increased to 25 cents in January 1863, making this an 1862 specimen. It sold for $2,875. All prices quoted include the buyers premium. Online bidding was via iCollector.com, Invaluable.com and LiveAuctionbeers.com. Day one had 434 lots of stock certificates and bonds (mining, oil, transportation, such as air, auto, railroad and steamer/marine, and miscellaneous, such as banking, Express and foreign) and philatelic (including postal covers, revenue and U.S. and foreign stamps). Day two showcased 503 lots of transportation, to include railroad (passes, lanterns, locks and ephemera); bottles and brewing; general Americana (geographic, U.S., foreign, books and maps, and miscellaneous, to include gaming, sports and toys); and military, political and weaponry/militaria. A paroled prisoner pass written on April 10, 1865, the day after the surrender by General Robert E. Lee at the Appomattox Court House, for Private John Harris of the Virginia Infantry, signed by Col. William Beal of Co. A, Provost, framed, brought $4,680. Also, a mounted original albumen photo from 1881 of 13 men who made up a posse sent from Tucson to Yuma (Arizona) to take over the goods from a suspected major retail goods swindle, changed hands for $2,750. Day three featured 501 lots of Western art and collectibles (cowboy, Native Americana and art); minerals and mining (gold specimens, minerals, fossils, mining artifacts and equipment and mining ephemera); and numismatics (U.S. Mint and ingots, California fractional gold, U.S. and foreign coins, medals, currency and scrip, and tokens). A crystalline gold specimen pulled from the Vulture Mine in Vulture City, Ariz., nestled into the landscape of the states Sonoran Desert, 0.46 troy ounces, 1.25 inches long, went for $3,125. A 2007 American Buffalo $50 bullion gold coin, graded PCGS MS 69, .9999 fine, one of only 136,000 minted, found a new owner for $3,000, and an 1896-S U.S. Liberty Head $20 gold piece in F-EF condition, on a 26-inch chain that does not test for gold content, earned $2,875. A Brunswick & Company (Chicago) token (Good For / One / At N. 10), 24mm, possibly the same No. 10 saloon in Deadwood, S.D., where Wild Bill Hickok was shot, went for $1,625. Day four, the timed session only, featured 716 lots, all with $10 start prices, in categories that included minerals and mining, transportation, general Americana, numismatics, and stocks and bonds (mining, transportation and miscellaneous). For additional information, email fredholabird@gmail.com or visit www.holabirdamericana.com.