Are Charlotte coins more special than Dahlonega issues?
airplanenut
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Welcome to my brain, where random thoughts come along all day. This is one that recently popped into my head for no reason. Charlotte and Dahlonega issues are both on the rarer side (not necessarily rare, but tougher and more expensive than their P/S/O/CC counterparts). The basis of my question lies with the mintmark. If you want a coin with a C, your only option is Charlotte (or Carson City with a conveniently filled die). On the other hand, if you want a D, you can get a Dahlonega, but if you're willing to get a later issue, Denver comes to the rescue.
This question comes without any research on my part as to relative rarity or value of Charlotte and Dahlonega coins, but just seemed like an interesting thing to think about. I don't have an example of either, but once I started thinking about this, getting something from Charlotte seemed more interesting (though Dahlonega is way more fun to say).
Comments
A superb allure to both, but I think there seems to be a special coveting of Charlotte issues. Not sure why, but either tweaks my sense of history . . .
Drunner
(RF-4/C) :-)
I know what you mean. The allure is partly for the single C since the D can be both mints. Still, southern gold! Maybe when these uncertain times blow past I’ll splurge and buy one of each.
I like both, but have a slight preference for Dahlonega.
My experience as a dealer is Dahlonega coins were always much easier to sell than their Charlotte counterparts!
I tend to like Charlotte issues. Too bad they were poorly struck as a general rule.
Pretty much equal to me, as I bought one of each from RYK a few years back when he was exiting out of a lot of his collection.
I do like the "C" for the reasons stated, however, gold with a "D" is kind of cool too......
Of course, with all the stock stuff hitting and my kid starting college (hopefully) this fall, I may not hold onto them much longer....
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
I much prefer the Dahlonega issues. They were struck at a small town which is still small by modern standards. That makes it more romantic for me. Charlotte is a big city now, and I don’t find it to be as interesting.
On average it’s easier to get an attractive Dahlonega coin than a Charlotte because they were, on average, made better. It’s harder to get really nice Charlotte coins, and that should make them better collector items, but my gut tells me that prefer Dahlonega.
When comes to the OP’s comments about mint marks, that does not enter my mind at all.
Once you decide to sell, send me a PM. Who knows, I might be in the market. I live in SC, neighbor to both GA and NC, but have no southern gold.
Indian Head $10 Gold Date Set Album
Charlotte. It’s easier for me to pronounce
m
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
With Charlotte, people never ask why a Southern Gold collector has Denver mint mark coins.
I like them both, but the market demand seems to be stronger for Dahlonega. This apparently wasn’t always the case. Doug Winter has interesting thoughts on the subject. Compare prices and relative rarity for the 1838-C and D issues and the Dahlonega popularity is readily apparent. The 1838-C should be much more valuable from a rarity standpoint.
I've never owned one of either, but always felt Dahlonega has a bit more cachet.
I can't imagine anyone who knows what a mintmark is would ask this question.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Think PDS moderns collectors.
The market for Dahlonega coins is much deeper than for Charlotte
Check it out though, New Orleans $5’s are generally rarer date for date than either C or D but NO lacks the headliner 1861 issue.
Latin American Collection
Charlotte for me... all day. It's a North Carolina thing.
I like both, but since I now live in NC, Charlotte gets the nod.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
Too bad the mint museum is a modern art gallery, though. It would be so much cooler if they had more than the small display of coins.
I like them both.... they both have history and the allure of scarcity. From a collectors viewpoint, that is a great combination. Cheers, RickO
I have a bias because I am a collector of Dahlonega gold (my primary focus.). For me, the name is a reminder of the mountain trails and trout streams I frequented when I lived in Atlanta.
There are some new and some old references to the sources of the Charlotte and Dahlonega gold.
You can view the US Mint report of the purchases of gold at the various mints...
For example:
http://www.chicagocoinclub.org/lib/us/cis/28-2/hed99.html
Also
Old history: https://memory.loc.gov/service/gdc/scd0001/2013/20131126001go/20131126001go.pdf
New history: https://www.jstor.org/stable/2207452?seq=1
New geology: https://pubs.usgs.gov/info/ayuso1/
ANA 50 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus")
As I
I once saw a Carson City Morgan dollar, struck from a reverse die that had some grease in the mint mark area. It only had one 'C'.
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
I thought this thread needed a photo. Here’s a NEWP I bought this weekend from one of my trusted dealers across the country via email. 1854-D $1 PCGS AU58.
Got Charlotte photos???
Plus you can always watch "Hush, Hush SWEET Charlotte. "
Here you go....
.
it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide
Sweet gold dollar from Denver!
My poor mans Dahlonega
I was hoping someone would post aCharlotte or Dhalonega mint coin to the thread.
Now, where is @ElmerFusterpuck ?
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso
Don't have the 'D', but here's my 'C', my very first!
10-4,
My Instagram picturesErik
My registry sets
I presume that when you said "1838-C and C issues" you were referring to the $5 gold coins. Having shopped for both of them, I can tell you that neither of them are super rarities. The troubles with the 1838-C $5 gold coins are (1) It was not a well-made issue and (2) There are many ugly ones on the market.
I was at a Winter FUN show where one dealer had three 1838-C $5 gold pieces for sale. The slab grades ranged from VF-20 to EF-40. Every one of them was ugly. That is going to tamp down the price. I probably saw more than 15 at the shows and on-line, and they all had issues.
Here’s the one in my collection. A specialist told that it is seventh finest known. It was in the Stanley Elrod Collection.
The 1838-D $5 gold is much easier to find nice. I have seen a number of pieces in the AU grade that would be quite acceptable for most collectors. Attractive coins bring better prices. I got lucky with one. I was in the right place at the right time. It is graded MS-63.
That 38-D was found in a house in New Hampshire if I recall
Latin American Collection
I see them as roughly equal in overall "coolness". On average, the C-coins seem to be a little harder to come by, but they also have more problems.
So, after having considered it carefully, I'd get some of both.
Many - here are a few:
Great question! I think they are both great and I appreciate what ya all have to say. One day, if I get the notion, I’ll have to step up for one of each.
I love Charlotte gold, I'm in NC, about 2 or 3 hours from Charlotte.
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My first Charlotte example from several weeks ago:
PCGS XF45
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It makes for a very interesting pursuit. Here’s hoping you can find more beauties like that!
Thank you!
At very least, I’d like a dollar and $5...
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Love them all, C, D (Dahlonega), S and O in early gold. But I always collected these for quality - and minimal intentional human intervention on their surfaces. That was my first priority, then the mint mark was secondary.
Best, SH
Here’s mine.
Wow, I got a picture to post.
The only Dahlonega mints I have owned were a pair (1846-D, 52-D) that I picked up at a country auction years ago.
I got very lucky as I was the only person there who knew anything besides the very basics
about coins .
There was a lot more good stuff there too. I almost felt sorry for the consignors/family/estate heirs because they got hammered.
The auctioneer should have done a little due diligence.
My only Dahlonega at present
Latin American Collection
I love the look of that coin, Boosibri -- Double B used to have a number of exceptional... and I do mean exceptional examples of both Dahlonega & Charlotte gold.
Here's my only "D"... for now. It's not that I have no love for them, I've just stayed focused much more on the Charlotte series. This coin represents the one moment the squirrel was "D"istracted by a "D"ifferent nut.
Here are a few @CharlotteDude mentioned:
Latin American Collection
Gold coins from both mints are special due to their rarity and historical importance. I don't understand the concern with the Dahlonega Mint and the Denver Mint sharing the same D mintmark. The Dahlonega Mint closed at the outbreak of the Civil War long before the Denver Mint opened well into the 20th century.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Thanks @Boosibri ... cue the jaw drop! I remember the color of that '48-C QE... an amazing coin.
I've owned 5 Dahl's and prefer them over Charlotte gold.
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.