United States Two-and-a-Half-Dollar Gold Coin (Classic Head) 1835

United States two-and-a-half-dollar gold coin, 1835, Classic Head type. The records of the Smithsonian's National Numismatic Collection state: gold, fineness 0.8990, diameter 18.2 mm, weight 4.18 grams, designer William Kneass. In 1834, Nathan's firm was appointed as the U.S. government's European banker. One of the tasks cited by the archives was pursuing the U.S. government's claim to the estate of James Smithson, which ultimately led to the establishment of the Smithsonian Institution. The counting house was involved in the very beginnings of the institution that today houses this gold coin.