The rarest of all Dahlonega coins...(WARNING: LOTSA PICS)

RYK

might be the 1855-D gold dollar. Only 1811 pieces were struck, and the estimated survivng population is approximately 60 coins. It competes with the 1861-D $1, 1855-D QE, and 1856-D QE for honors as the rarest coin from the Dahlonega mint. It is in especially high demand as there are at least three groups of collectors who "need" one for their sets including: 1) those who collect Dahlonega gold dollars; 2) those who collect gold dollars by date and MM; 3) those who collect Dahlonega gold by type. They are difficult to find with good eye appeal, and most people have to make a sacrifice when they buy one (strike, originality, luster, planchet quality, etc.) Strike that, everyone has to make a compromise. The two finest known coins each have an Achilles heel: one has a softer strike and the other has been recently dipped . Prices for these have really skyrocketed in the last few years and problem-free "collector grade" examples are virtually non-existent. I have always been fond of the Type II gold dollar design and hope to own an 1855-D G$1 in the future.

Here are some photos ripped from here and other sites:

A coin that is currently in DW's inventory:



The FatMan specimen:




A typical example to show up in a Heritage sale:



One of the Duke's Creek specimens (note the lovely original color):



The other Duke's Creek specimen (note the killer strike):



The Overland Trail Collection:

Link to pic

Richmond Collection:

TheRaven

Some very nice pictures of a cool coin.....

I just want one Dahlonega coin for my collection

Longacre

The Fatman coin and the Duke's Creek coin are incredible.

Maybe you should put together your thoughts on a "box of 20" coins from the Southern mints that are difficult, but not impossible to obtain.

coinman420

it appears to be a rotated reverse on the dukes creek?


very nice coins and good post

kcnovice

some really nice coins ryk, thanks for the pic posting; fats- super coin
the 1st duke's creek orange/apricot (look for a blog on these maybe)

longacre, to get started in the southern branch mints, I'm doing a 6 coin denomination
set of the 3 1838 to 1861 southern branch mintgold coins. I'm using a combination of
total graded/ avg. grade/ % MS to help chose the issues.

Barry

Impressive clash on some of them...

So where's the pic of the RYK specimen?

RYK

So where's the pic of the RYK specimen?

I have not been able to secure it, yet.

FatMan

<< <i>The FatMan specimen: >>

Geez, you medical guys make it sound so clinical.

The 61-D Dollar holds rock star status, as it is the only dahlonega coin that we know for sure was minted by the confederacy. But I do believe the 55-D Dollar is a tougher date and significantly so in AU+. There is quite a bit of controversy over how rare the full date is. DW writes that less than a dozen exist, but just the other day I was speaking with another well respected Dahlonega expert who believes 30+% of the known issues are full date. Of course 30% out of 60 is only 18.

slumlord98

Well, Fatman made no compromise with his selection. That is a wicked coin!

mcheath

it is a hard task to find one of these "unmolested". fatman that is one spectacular coin.

RYK

<< The FatMan specimen: >>

Geez, you medical guys make it sound so clinical.

I learned that talk from coin folks.

Leiana

<< <i>The 61-D Dollar holds rock star status, as it is the only dahlonega coin that we know for sure was minted by the confederacy. >>



So nobody knows if any of the 1,597 Coronet $5 Half Eagles made in early 1861 were made by the Confederates? My book about Confederate coinage states that there were between 1200 and 1500 gold dollars made at Dahlonega in early 1861 before the mints were closed, but it doesn't say under whose authority the two types of coins were struck. This is a very interesting thread!

-Amanda

FatMan

Amanda, it is true that some of the 1861-D Half Eagles were minted by the confederacy. However, there is no way to determine which were and which were not. The mint records show the documented 1597 minted 1861-D Half Eagles were all produced in February before the confederacy seized the mint in April. Then in May, the mint coined an undetermined quantity of half eagles and dollars. The dies used for the half eagles were the same so there is no way to differentiate between those minted by the union and those minted by the confederacy. On the other hand, mint records show there were no dollars minted by the union in 1861. Therefore all 61-D dollars were minted by the confederacy.

Leiana

Oh, okay. Thanks! My book mostly focuses on the New Orleans Mint. It said records at the smaller mints were incomplete. It could have mentioned that all the 1861-D gold dollars were struck after Georgia seceded. I find the Confederate coin history, short as it was, absolutely fascinating!

-Amanda

RYK

Did someone mention the 61-D $5?

Leiana

<< <i>Did someone mention the 61-D $5? >>



That would be me! Awesome coin.

-Amanda

TheRaven

That is an awesome half eagle.....

Leiana

This is quoted from an essay about Dahlonega by Mr. Carl Lester



<< <i>George Kellogg replaced [Julius] Patton as Superintendent [of the Mint] in October 1860. The State of Georgia seceded from the Union in January 1861. The mint produced 1,597 half eagles in February 1861, with the coinage being reported to the Philadelphia Mint. After Superintendant Kellogg tendered his resignation to President Lincoln in April, the Dahlonega Mint produced an estimated 1,600 to 1,700 half eagles and 2,750-3,250 gold dollars dated 1861, neither of which were reported to Philadelphia. The additional coinage was made, not by "Rebel forces," but by the same personnel who had executed the February strikings, ableit with a new allegiance. The Dahlonega Mint was officially closed by order of the Confederate Congress on June 1, 1861 and never reopened as a U.S. Branch Mint. >>



So all the Dahlonega pieces were produced after secession but all of the gold dollars were produced after the Mint Superintendant oficially resigned. I understand a lot better now. I was confused because I knew that Georgia had seceded in January. I hope somebody else finds this interesting!

-Amanda

FatMan

<< <i>"The Fatman coin and the Duke's Creek coin are incredible."
"fats- super coin"
"Well, Fatman made no compromise with his selection. That is a wicked coin!"
"it is a hard task to find one of these "unmolested". fatman that is one spectacular coin." >>

Thanks everyone for the kind words. I am very fortunate to be the current keeper of this wonderful coin. As RYK has pointed out these are very difficult to come by. I am grateful to Al Adams and Gold Rush Gallery for allowing me the opportunity to add it to my collection earlier this year.

RYK

For those keeping score, the example in the DW inventory has sold. My guess is that he received multiple inquiries a very short time after posting it.

CharlotteDude

Although Dahlonega's product makes for good info exchange, everyone knows that Charlotte gold rules!!!

Spoken by a true Carolina boy...

the 'dude

FatMan

<< <i>For those keeping score, the example in the DW inventory has sold. My guess is that he received multiple inquiries a very short time after posting it. >>

I was somewhat surprised it even made it to the website. Coins of this magnitude are usually sold before being listed on websites. Of course, that may have been the case here, but was listed for promotional purposes only. Congrats to the new owner, whomever he/she may be.

GoldenEyeNumismatics

so this is a givaway thread, right?

JJM

i'll take the 1861....nice....