1853 Gold Dollar
Circulation strike struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 4,076,051 made
- Mintage
- 4,076,051
- Metal
- 90% gold, 10% copper
- Weight
- 1.672 g
- Diameter
- 13 mm (Type 1); 15 mm (Types 2 and 3)
Original illustration. Tap to flip. Not a photograph of the actual coin.
Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is an 1853 Gold Dollar worth?
Its gold content does most of the work: a genuine 1853 is worth at least its 0.0484 troy ounces of gold. Collector demand adds a premium for better grades.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition with full original luster
- A die variety or minting error
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1853 Gold Dollar rare?
- No. With 4.1 million made, it's one of the most common Gold Dollars.
- Is the 1853 Gold Dollar real gold?
- No, it's gold: 0.0484 troy ounces of pure gold.
- Where is the mint mark on an 1853 Gold Dollar?
- On the reverse, below the wreath. Philadelphia coins have no mint mark. A "D" on a coin dated 1861 or earlier means Dahlonega, Georgia.
- Which Philadelphia dates near 1853 are scarcer?
- The 1858 at 117,995, the 1850 at 481,953, the 1849 at 688,567, plus 7 more. So the 1853 is one of the easier dates of its stretch.
- How many 1853 Gold Dollar coins were made?
- 4,076,051.
What to check on your 1853
- There's no mint mark on this one, so the date and condition are what matter.
- Old coins pick up damage over a long life. Look for holes, bends, scratches or signs of cleaning before you judge the grade, because a damaged coin sells for a fraction of a problem-free one.
- Judge the grade under good light. 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.
Gold coins are counterfeited more than any other US coins. A genuine 1853 weighs 1.672 g. Buy certified examples from a reputable dealer.
The story of the 1853
Philadelphia made 4,076,051 in 1853, up from 2 million in 1852. In 1854 the figure was 783,943.
It was the big producer of the year, well ahead of 1853-D (6,583) and 1853-C (11,515) and 1853-O (290,000).
Of the 42 Gold Dollars Philadelphia struck between 1849 and 1889, none was made in bigger numbers. The scarcest Philadelphia issue is the 1875 at 400. No Gold Dollar of the 1850s had a bigger run.
Small Type 1 dollars of the gold rush (1849 to 1853)
The Act of March 3, 1849 created the gold dollar to make use of the flood of California gold. James B. Longacre's Type 1 coin is tiny, about 13 mm across, with a Liberty head and a wreath reverse. Philadelphia, Charlotte, Dahlonega and New Orleans all struck it in 1849. By 1853 Philadelphia was producing millions a year.
First-year 1849 coins come with open and closed wreaths and with or without Longacre's L on the truncation. The 1849-C with an open wreath is a great rarity. Charlotte and Dahlonega coins were struck in small numbers and often show weak strikes, while New Orleans pieces are more plentiful. Many Type 1 dollars were made into jewelry, so check for solder marks and polished surfaces.
Elsewhere in US coinage in 1853
Silver bullion was worth more than face value, so the Act of February 21, 1853 reduced the weight of the half dime, dime, quarter and half dollar. Arrows beside the date and rays on the reverse marked the lighter coins.
How to recognize it
The smallest US coin ever struck came in three types. Type 1 (1849 to 1854) shows a tiny Liberty head and measures only 13 mm. Type 2 (1854 to 1856) is larger and thinner, with Liberty wearing a feathered headdress. Type 3 (1856 to 1889) enlarges the portrait. Every type has a wreath on the reverse around 1 DOLLAR and the date.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Gold Dollar (1849–1889) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1853 |
| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | None |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 4,076,051 |
| Face value | $1 |
| Composition | 90% gold, 10% copper |
| Weight | 1.672 grams |
| Diameter | 13 mm (Type 1); 15 mm (Types 2 and 3) |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Designer | James B. Longacre |
Other 1853 Gold Dollar issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1853 Gold Dollar | 4,076,051 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1853-O Gold Dollar | 290,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1853-C Gold Dollar | 11,515 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1853-D Gold Dollar | 6,583 | Circulation strike | – |
Mintage: Gold dollar (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint records and the Guide Book of United States Coins. How we build these pages.