Gold Dollar -> 1859-C

Vitae

  • Gold Dollars 1849 - 1859
  • Type Three 1857 - 1859
  • Diameter: 14.3 millimeters
  • Fineness: .900
  • Weight: 25.8 grains
  • Designer: James Barton Longacre
  • Edge: Reeded
  • Coiner: ??

The 1859-C is the final gold dollar struck at the Charlotte Mint. It ranks as one of the worst produced of all American gold coins. Nearly every known example is very weakly struck, especially at the borders. The quality of the planchets are similar to that seen on the 1857-C with most having conspicuous mint-made roughness in the fields and a grainy, unappealing appearance. Only 75 or so are known and the grade that one is most likely to encounter this date is Extremely Fine. Approximately twenty About Uncirculated 1859-C gold dollars are known plus another four or five Mint State coins. With so few examples having good eye appeal, attractive 1859-C gold dollars always sell quickly (and for strong premiums) to knowledgeable collectors.

Condition Census

  1. (tie) The following coins have all been graded Mint State-61 by NGC:
    • New York collection, ex Doug Winter, 11/96.
    • North Georgia collection, ex Stack's 10/94: 792, James Stack collection.
    • New York Gold Mart (Ron Karp) inventory, ex Stack's 12/94: 1174.
    • Heritage Rare Coin Galleries inventory, first seen at the 1997 FUN convention.
    • A fifth example which I have not seen.
  2. (tie) Heritage 1998 FUN sale: 7456, ex Donald Carter collection (and) Superior 6/97: 1388. Both have been graded MS-60 by NGC.