1849 Gold Rush USA $1 Dahlonega and Philadelphia Mints - Raw and Slabbed

[LawrenceChard]

The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) was a gold rush that began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California.

The effects of the Gold Rush were substantial. Whole indigenous societies were attacked and pushed off their lands by the gold-seekers, called "forty-niners" (referring to 1849, the peak year for Gold Rush immigration). 

1949 was the first year of issue for gold dollars.

Here are two examples:

1849 USA Gold $1 Philadephia Mint Reverse

1849 USA Gold $1 Philadephia Mint Obverse

1849 USA Gold $1 Philadephia Mint Niton XRF Test Result

1849 USA Gold $1 Dahlonega Mint Obverse NGC Graded MS61

 

1849 USA Gold $1 Dahlonega Mint Reverse NGC Graded MS61

The Dahlonega Mint was a former branch of the United States Mint built during the Georgia Gold Rush to help the miners get their gold assayed and minted, without having to travel to the Philadelphia Mint. It was located in Dahlonega, Lumpkin County, Georgia. Coins produced at the Dahlonega Mint bear the "D" mint mark. That mint mark is used today by the Denver Mint, which opened many years after the Dahlonega Mint closed. All coins from the Dahlonega Mint are gold, in the $1, $2.50, $3, and $5 denominations, and bear dates in the range 1838–1861.

 

[dicker]

The 49 ‘D’ variety is not frequently seen to say the least…

Interesting to see roughly equal Silver and Copper content.

It must have been tempting for the mint to use more copper than silver, as I think silver was scare until the monster Comstock lode was discovered in 1857/1859 (which went on to produce the silver for many of the Morgan’s we now see).

Best

Dicker

 

 

[LawrenceChard]

6 hours ago, dicker said:

The 49 ‘D’ variety is not frequently seen to say the least…

Interesting to see roughly equal Silver and Copper content.

It must have been tempting for the mint to use more copper than silver, as I think silver was scare until the monster Comstock lode was discovered in 1857/1859 (which went on to produce the silver for many of the Morgan’s we now see).

Best

Dicker

 

Most gold found contains some silver, so it might as well be left in, as there was no point trying to over-refine the gold. This almost certainly explains why there is silver content in most gold coins, until relatively recently.

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