I watched Rio Bravo tonight for the first time in a LONG time. It is a Western starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, and Ricky Nelson. Too bad the writer didn't consult a Red Book; it would have told him there was no such thing as a $50 Gold Piece (at least not until a few decades later when the 1915 Pan Pac Round & Octagonal $50 gold pieces were struck). The gold pieces in the movie were payment to hired killers. (After shooting a killer Dean Martin's character picks up a large, gold coin lying beside the body) "He's the fella we wanted. I guess this is his. Nice, fresh $50 gold piece. It's just about what Burdette would figure a man's life is worth. That's earning money the hard way." (Wayne's character) "Paid killer. Nice, fresh $50 gold piece." LATER "Oh, Senor Chance, what do you wish me to do with these three dead men?" (Wayne's character) "You're the undertaker, Burt. Bury 'em. There's another one down by the bridge. Send in your bill and the county'll pay ya." "No need for that. Each one of them had two new $50 gold pieces in his pocket." "Price is going up."
That is my favorite John Wayne movie, but it does provide a lot of fantasy. Nobody in the actual poker game noticed that all the aces were missing from the deck.
When Wayne's character checked the deck "only" three Aces were missing. You would think people that play poker every day would notice that.
That's what I always assumed. There were a LOT of 50 dollar gold slugs out west, produced from the late 1840's through the mid 1850's
