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Possible 1862 gold proof coin mintage
RogerB
Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
This excerpt from the February 1862 Philadelphia Mint report might provide improved production quantity for 1862 gold proofs. Check your blue gold proof folders - time to fill that hole !
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The figures reproduced by RogerB are a curiosity in that the document
he used is in error for the gold dollar proof coins. Thirty-Five sets of proof
gold coins were delivered on February 16, 1862, but the clerk preparing
this document listed only 34 proof gold dollars. This proves that even the
mint clerks made an occasional copying error.
...or was one of the gold dollars damaged?
As in the 1861 post... Where did the proofs go that did not go into circulation? Cheers, RickO
Proof coins were sold. In this era, unsold pieces were kept and sold at later dates. Eventually, unsold pieces were put into circulation. Buyers were coin collectors. The State Department also bought sets for diplomatic use in exchange or as gifts to foreign leaders.
Here is mine..... https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1014553/another-coin-from-my-collection#latest
Follow-on letter from 1875 showing that gold proof sets remained available.
June 15, 1875
Sir:
We will forward to your address by Adams Express, C.O.D. on the 16th inst, 1 Gold proof
set for each of the following years, 1862, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 70, 71 and 1873. Making nine sets
at $43.00 in gold, $387.00.
These sets do not look as well as when they were first struck, but they would be worth
much more than their face value in the Market.
They have been stored in the Cashier’s Vault and it is merely by chance that we have
them on hand.
Yours respectfully
James Pollock, Superintendent (per Vogel)
Mr. E.C. Tufts
83 Worth St.
New York
[RG104, entry 229 box 1 of 17]
Interesting to know they still had gold proofs 13 years later.
With such a small mintage, it just goes to show there were NOT a lot of coin collectors at that time.
Also, to be able to buy a coin 13 years after it was minted at gold market value , with NO collector value tied in, seems pretty awesome.
That would like buying a circa 2006 gold coin at the value it was issued.
Any of the 2008 Buffalo golds still available ?? Hehe
Chris