Gold Coins · 1849–1889
Gold Dollar Values & Mintages
The California Gold Rush made gold plentiful and in 1849 Congress authorized the smallest coin the United States has ever issued. The first version, Type 1, was so tiny it was easily lost.
- Years
- 1849–1889
- Issues listed
- 113
- Lowest mintage
- 400
- Diameter
- 13 mm (Type 1); 15 mm (Types 2 and 3)
Original illustration. Tap to flip.
In 1854 the Mint made the coin thinner and wider with an "Indian Princess" head (Type 2). It struck poorly, so in 1856 a larger head was introduced (Type 3). Coins from the Charlotte, Dahlonega and New Orleans branch mints are especially sought after.
Designer: James B. Longacre.
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Key dates: lowest mintages
See all 113 →1875 Gold DollarRare: very low mintage
4001856-D Gold DollarRare: very low mintage
1,4601860-D Gold DollarRare: very low mintage
1,5661880 Gold DollarRare: very low mintage
1,6001855-D Gold DollarRare: very low mintage
1,8111854-D Gold Dollar, Type 1Rare: very low mintage
2,9351870-S Gold DollarRare: very low mintage
3,0001878 Gold DollarRare: very low mintage
3,0001879 Gold DollarRare: very low mintage
3,0001876 Gold DollarRare: very low mintage
3,200Every Gold Dollar by year and mint
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| Owned✓ | Coin | Year | Mint | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1849 Gold Dollar | 1849 | None | 688,567 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1849 Gold Dollar Proof | 1849 | None | 10 | Proof | – | |
| 1849-O Gold Dollar | 1849 | O | 215,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1849-C Gold Dollar | 1849 | C | 11,634 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1849-D Gold Dollar | 1849 | D | 21,588 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1850 Gold Dollar | 1850 | None | 481,953 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1850 Gold Dollar Proof | 1850 | None | 2 | Proof | – | |
| 1850-O Gold Dollar | 1850 | O | 14,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1850-C Gold Dollar | 1850 | C | 6,966 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1850-D Gold Dollar | 1850 | D | 8,382 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1851 Gold Dollar | 1851 | None | 3,317,671 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1851-O Gold Dollar | 1851 | O | 290,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1851-C Gold Dollar | 1851 | C | 41,267 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1851-D Gold Dollar | 1851 | D | 9,882 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1852 Gold Dollar | 1852 | None | 2,045,351 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1852-O Gold Dollar | 1852 | O | 140,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1852-C Gold Dollar | 1852 | C | 9,434 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1852-D Gold Dollar | 1852 | D | 6,360 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1853 Gold Dollar | 1853 | None | 4,076,051 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1853-O Gold Dollar | 1853 | O | 290,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1853-C Gold Dollar | 1853 | C | 11,515 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1853-D Gold Dollar | 1853 | D | 6,583 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1854 Gold Dollar, Type 1 | 1854 | None | 855,502 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1854 Gold Dollar, Type 2 | 1854 | None | 783,943 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1854 Gold Dollar Proof, Type 2 | 1854 | None | 5 | Proof | – | |
| 1854-S Gold Dollar, Type 1 | 1854 | S | 14,632 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1854-D Gold Dollar, Type 1 | 1854 | D | 2,935 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1855 Gold Dollar | 1855 | None | 758,269 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1855 Gold Dollar Proof | 1855 | None | 12 | Proof | – | |
| 1855-O Gold Dollar | 1855 | O | 55,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1855-C Gold Dollar | 1855 | C | 9,803 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1855-D Gold Dollar | 1855 | D | 1,811 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1856 Gold Dollar | 1856 | None | 1,762,936 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1856 Gold Dollar Proof | 1856 | None | 10 | Proof | – | |
| 1856-S Gold Dollar | 1856 | S | 24,600 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1856-D Gold Dollar | 1856 | D | 1,460 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1857 Gold Dollar | 1857 | None | 774,789 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1857 Gold Dollar Proof | 1857 | None | 12 | Proof | – | |
| 1857-S Gold Dollar | 1857 | S | 10,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1857-C Gold Dollar | 1857 | C | 13,280 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1857-D Gold Dollar | 1857 | D | 3,533 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1858 Gold Dollar | 1858 | None | 117,995 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1858 Gold Dollar Proof | 1858 | None | 20 | Proof | – | |
| 1858-S Gold Dollar | 1858 | S | 10,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1858-D Gold Dollar | 1858 | D | 3,477 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1859 Gold Dollar | 1859 | None | 168,244 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1859 Gold Dollar Proof | 1859 | None | 80 | Proof | – | |
| 1859-S Gold Dollar | 1859 | S | 15,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1859-C Gold Dollar | 1859 | C | 5,235 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1859-D Gold Dollar | 1859 | D | 4,952 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1860 Gold Dollar | 1860 | None | 36,514 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1860 Gold Dollar Proof | 1860 | None | 154 | Proof | – | |
| 1860-S Gold Dollar | 1860 | S | 13,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1860-D Gold Dollar | 1860 | D | 1,566 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1861 Gold Dollar | 1861 | None | 527,150 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1861 Gold Dollar Proof | 1861 | None | 349 | Proof | – | |
| 1862 Gold Dollar | 1862 | None | 1,361,355 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1862 Gold Dollar Proof | 1862 | None | 35 | Proof | – | |
| 1863 Gold Dollar | 1863 | None | 6,200 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1863 Gold Dollar Proof | 1863 | None | 50 | Proof | – | |
| 1864 Gold Dollar | 1864 | None | 5,900 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1864 Gold Dollar Proof | 1864 | None | 50 | Proof | – | |
| 1865 Gold Dollar | 1865 | None | 3,700 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1865 Gold Dollar Proof | 1865 | None | 25 | Proof | – | |
| 1866 Gold Dollar | 1866 | None | 7,100 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1866 Gold Dollar Proof | 1866 | None | 30 | Proof | – | |
| 1867 Gold Dollar | 1867 | None | 5,200 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1867 Gold Dollar Proof | 1867 | None | 50 | Proof | – | |
| 1868 Gold Dollar | 1868 | None | 10,500 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1868 Gold Dollar Proof | 1868 | None | 25 | Proof | – | |
| 1869 Gold Dollar | 1869 | None | 5,900 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1869 Gold Dollar Proof | 1869 | None | 25 | Proof | – | |
| 1870 Gold Dollar | 1870 | None | 6,300 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1870 Gold Dollar Proof | 1870 | None | 35 | Proof | – | |
| 1870-S Gold Dollar | 1870 | S | 3,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1871 Gold Dollar | 1871 | None | 3,900 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1871 Gold Dollar Proof | 1871 | None | 30 | Proof | – | |
| 1872 Gold Dollar | 1872 | None | 3,500 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1872 Gold Dollar Proof | 1872 | None | 30 | Proof | – | |
| 1873 Gold Dollar | 1873 | None | 125,100 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1873 Gold Dollar Proof | 1873 | None | 25 | Proof | – | |
| 1874 Gold Dollar | 1874 | None | 198,800 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1874 Gold Dollar Proof | 1874 | None | 20 | Proof | – | |
| 1875 Gold Dollar | 1875 | None | 400 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1875 Gold Dollar Proof | 1875 | None | 20 | Proof | – | |
| 1876 Gold Dollar | 1876 | None | 3,200 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1876 Gold Dollar Proof | 1876 | None | 45 | Proof | – | |
| 1877 Gold Dollar | 1877 | None | 3,900 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1877 Gold Dollar Proof | 1877 | None | 20 | Proof | – | |
| 1878 Gold Dollar | 1878 | None | 3,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1878 Gold Dollar Proof | 1878 | None | 20 | Proof | – | |
| 1879 Gold Dollar | 1879 | None | 3,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1879 Gold Dollar Proof | 1879 | None | 30 | Proof | – | |
| 1880 Gold Dollar | 1880 | None | 1,600 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1880 Gold Dollar Proof | 1880 | None | 36 | Proof | – | |
| 1881 Gold Dollar | 1881 | None | 7,620 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1881 Gold Dollar Proof | 1881 | None | 87 | Proof | – | |
| 1882 Gold Dollar | 1882 | None | 5,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1882 Gold Dollar Proof | 1882 | None | 125 | Proof | – | |
| 1883 Gold Dollar | 1883 | None | 10,800 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1883 Gold Dollar Proof | 1883 | None | 207 | Proof | – | |
| 1884 Gold Dollar | 1884 | None | 5,230 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1884 Gold Dollar Proof | 1884 | None | 1,006 | Proof | – | |
| 1885 Gold Dollar | 1885 | None | 11,156 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1885 Gold Dollar Proof | 1885 | None | 1,105 | Proof | – | |
| 1886 Gold Dollar | 1886 | None | 5,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1886 Gold Dollar Proof | 1886 | None | 1,016 | Proof | – | |
| 1887 Gold Dollar | 1887 | None | 7,500 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1887 Gold Dollar Proof | 1887 | None | 1,043 | Proof | – | |
| 1888 Gold Dollar | 1888 | None | 15,501 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1888 Gold Dollar Proof | 1888 | None | 1,079 | Proof | – | |
| 1889 Gold Dollar | 1889 | None | 28,950 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 1889 Gold Dollar Proof | 1889 | None | 1,779 | Proof | – |
Composition by year
| Years | Metal | Weight | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1849–1889 | 90% gold, 10% copper | 1.672 g | – |
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Mint mark location
1849–1889: On the reverse, below the wreath. Philadelphia coins have no mint mark. A "D" on a coin dated 1861 or earlier means Dahlonega, Georgia.
Grading tips
Look at the hair above the eye and the bow of the wreath. Many gold dollars were made into jewelry, so check for solder marks or removed loops.
Frequently asked questions
What is the rarest Gold Dollar?
By mintage, the scarcest regular circulation issue is the 1875 Gold Dollar with 400 struck, followed by the 1856-D Gold Dollar (1,460). Survival rates and condition also matter: some higher-mintage dates are scarce in top grades.
Are Gold Dollars silver?
1849–1889: 90% gold, 10% copper.
Where is the mint mark on a Gold Dollar?
1849–1889: On the reverse, below the wreath. Philadelphia coins have no mint mark. A "D" on a coin dated 1861 or earlier means Dahlonega, Georgia.
How many Gold Dollars were made?
About 19,526,142 for circulation across 75 date and mint combinations, from 4,076,051 for the 1853 Gold Dollar down to 400 for the 1875 Gold Dollar.
Who designed the Gold Dollar?
James B. Longacre.
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Mintages from Wikipedia's US Mint-sourced tables (CC BY-SA 4.0). Specifications from US Mint records. All sources.