Newport Beach, CA - Two educational projects about California Gold Rush era money -- a new television documentary and a 1,056-page, 12-pound reference book -- have been created and funded with proceeds from the sales of S.S. Central America treasure.

The one-hour television program, "Gold Rush Money," was narrated by distinguished Oscar-winning actor, Charlton Heston, and produced by well-known collector and sports agent, Dwight Manley, managing partner of the California Gold Marketing Group. Distinguished numismatic author, Q. David Bowers, wrote the comprehensive new book, A California Gold Rush History.

Heston, who has appeared in 130 movies in his prominent career, stated: "I am glad to have been a part of this important project that represents a piece of America's history."

"Gold Rush Money" was co-produced by Digital Ranch, an Emmy Award-winning television production company based in Los Angeles, and directed by David Barsky. Shot in high-definition video format, the television documentary is the pilot episode for a proposed 22-episode program, "Money: The Series." Digital Ranch created the critically acclaimed Central America documentary, "Ship of Gold," for The History Channel.

"This new television program explains how the Gold Rush of 1849 created a rogue economy that played out through scenes of chaos, murder, bank runs, and debauchery that brought down a city and almost brought down a nation," explained Manley. "It focuses on the assayers who assessed millions of dollars worth of gold and set the stage for a new money standard at the dawn of the industrial revolution."

Among the numismatists interviewed in the program are:

• Bowers, president of Bowers and Merena Galleries;
  
  
• Dr. Donald H. Kagin; author of Private Gold Coins and Patterns of the United States;
  
  
• Harold P. ("Andy") Anderson, Wells Fargo & Company chief historian;
  
  
• Dr. Robert J. Chandler, Wells Fargo Bank History Department's senior research historian;
  
  
• Robert Evans, California Gold's curator and chief scientist for Columbus-America Discovery Group that discovered and retrieved the $100+ million Central America treasure in the 1980s; and
  
  
• Dr. Lynne Pierson Doti, an expert on early California banking and director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics at Chapman University.
  
  

"We envision an entire series of hour-long programs that thoughtfully and clearly explain the historical significance and often Byzantine machinations of the world of money," said Robert Kirk, president of Digital Ranch. "Each program would present a single, in-depth topic that will not only educate but also fascinate viewers with stories of the people and events that have determined the bottom line. This series will help the public understand what collectors have emphasized for generations: money is history you can hold in your hands."

The television documentary and reference book are the latest educational efforts by California Gold Marketing Group.

"From the beginning of our planning about the S.S. Central America treasure in 1999, one of our major goals has been to educate the public about the undeniable importance of the California Gold Rush," said Manley. "We donated coins to a half dozen museums for the public to see; more than a million people personally saw the $20 million 'Ship of Gold' touring exhibit; and millions more have viewed The History Channel documentary about Central America's role in the Gold Rush."

A million dollars' worth of research and production have been invested in the creation of the television program and the unparalleled book. Leading scholars, museums, libraries and historical societies provided information and loaned illustrations for the Gold Rush educational projects.

The profusely illustrated book weighs 12 pounds and is unprecedented in its scope and depth. Bowers described it as "a veritable you-are-there excursion to the Days of Old, the Days of Gold, the Days of the '49ers." Dr. Richard Doty, curator of numismatics at the Smithsonian Institution, wrote the book's forward.

"This is the definitive book on the subject of Gold Rush coins, ingots and treasure. The volume is equal to a full university course on California Gold Rush history, mining and minting. It also includes never before published details about the greatest gold treasure ever found -- the coins and ingots from the S.S. Central America," said Bowers.

A California Gold Rush History will be published in early May and cost $199 per copy, plus shipping. It will be available from Bowers and Merena Galleries and from California Gold Marketing Group's Authorized S.S. Central America Dealers. The date and network for televising of the documentary program will be announced later.