"Death Valley Days" was a half-hour television series which was produced for local television stations and ran from 1952 to 1970. The host was film actor Ronald Reagan who wore a modern business suit when introducing episodes. The episode "Raid on the San Francisco Mint" was first broadcast on March 10, 1965. Besides hosting the program Ronald Reagan also stars in this episode.
This episode is about San Francisco banker William Ralston who, in 1869, "borrowed" a million dollars in gold coins from the nearby San Francisco Mint to show his customers that his bank was solvent. The Ralston incident is based on a story told in bank manager Asbury Harpending's autobiography but has not otherwise been verified. The mint in the program is the First Mint which was located on Commercial Street in the city's "Barbary Coast" district. It operated from 1854 to 1874 and later as a sub-treasury or storage building. The program shows United States gold coins in bank trays and also being handled by the program's host Ronald Reagan. The size of the prop coins indicates that they are supposed to be twenty-dollar gold pieces or "double eagles", the largest coins made by the San Francisco Mint.

The program's logo of a Borax twenty-mule team is present in this episode.
Actor Ronald Reagan appears in the opulent banker's office set and introduces the program.

A crowd forms in front of William Ralston's Bank of California. The bank was located at California and Sansome Streets, very close to the San Francisco Mint on Commercial Street, a happy fact to Ralston's advantage.

William Ralston appears at the bank entrance.

Ralston assures the crowd that he has everything under control and that the bank will re-open the next day at 10:00am. He then talks to his chief cashier, Maurice Dory.

Dory informs Ralston that they have very little money. Ralston sends a telegram to President Grant asking for gold coins from the mint. The bank has gold bullion but needs coins to pay customers who will not take paper money. Asbury Harpending, the bank manager, visits Ralston in his office.

Harpending informs Ralston that the government probably will not approve the request. Ralston tells him that he will visit the mint superintendent and get the money, but doesn't explain how.

The Mint is also a sub-treasury which was a storage place for government gold. When the mint closed in 1874 the building continued to operate as a sub-treasury for several years.

General Thomas Bradley, a soldier in the Civil War, is the Superintendent of the mint. This character is fictional but the actual superintendent of the San Francisco Mint then was a Civil War general, Oscar Hugh La Grange. That evening Ralston visits the mint office to see the general.

General Bradley wears three medals, but they appear to be either prop medals or more modern ones. Ralston knows that the general is hiding his age by dyeing his hair and refusing to wear glasses in public. He hides the general's glasses, then shows him telegram implying that it authorizes the transfer. Ralston proceeds to start the general to drinking toasts to various prominent Americans. After the general passes out, Ralston and bank employees visit the mint and are allowed in by mint employees.

Guards are posted to allow the men to move the coins to the bank.

Ralston and his assistants move the gold to the bank.

The gold coins are packed in 50-pound bags, each of which holds approximately $15,000 in coins (valued at $20 an ounce).

The coins are most likely twenty-dollar gold pieces or "double eagles" as these were the largest gold coins produced by the mint.

A United States $20 gold coin:

This coin was minted at the San Francisco Mint in 1864 and would fit the period of the program.

Mission accomplished, Ralston and the bank employees return to the bank office.

Having moved the goods, Ralston invites his employees to the bank office for a celebration. Next morning the bank is getting ready to open at 10:00am. Ralston and Dory are ready.

The gold coins are covered by a cloth. A crowd has formed again and are let into the bank. One first customer arrives who was very suspicious the day before.

The cover is removed showing the gold coins, neatly stacked.

The first customer exclaims that the money is here and he will keep his in the bank. He and the other customers leave satisfied. General Bradley, now sober, arrives to confront Ralston.

The general is unhappy and threatens legal action for the raid.

The host Ronald Reagan then appears at the banker's office set.

The coins are prop coins as they have smooth edges while real US gold coins have milled edges. They also appear to be the size of United States silver dollars and larger than $20 gold coins.

Next is shown the Palace Hotel as it was in 1965.

The Palace Hotel is located at Market and New Montgomery Streets. It was damaged and then demolished after the 1906 earthquake and fire and then rebuilt.

Ronald Reagan makes a final appearance.

Not much is left of the First Mint but a small exhibit is open under the art museum at the location.

Ronald Reagan as William Ralston
Judson Pratt as General Thomas Bradley
Vaughn Taylor as Asbury Harpending
John Clarke as Maurice Dory
Director: Fred Jackman
Writers: Jerry D. Lewis