1858-D Type 3 Gold Dollar : A Collector’s Guide

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes ….
 

The Dahlonega branch of the United States Mint struck 3,477 gold dollars in 1858, producing the entire issue from one pair of dies (Winter 10-M). Many are weakly struck, some with a with faint 58 on the date (tending towards being practically invisible). Many examples exhibit a die flaw beneath the “ED” and “S” in UNITED STATES; during production, the obverse and reverse dies came together at some point, resulting in die clash images being imparted on the coins struck thereafter.

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Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens

In David Akers’ United States Gold Coins, An Analysis of Auction Records, Volume I (1975), the gold coin expert estimated a surviving population of 73 pieces. Current thinking has pushed this number up to about double that.

Top Population: PCGS MS65 (2, 3/2024). NGC MS66 (1, 3/2024). CAC MS63 (1:0 stickered:graded, 3/2024).

• NGC MS66 #302714-011: ‘Duke’s Creek Collection of Dahlonega Gold”, Heritage Auctions, April 7, 2006, Lot 1490 – $74,750. Certification number no longer active.
• NGC MS63 #3319267-004: Stack’s Bowers, August 13, 2011, Lot 9149 – $13,800; “The N.E. Lincoln Collection”, Heritage Auctions, November 11, 2021, Lot 3638 – $14,400; Heritage Auctions, May 6, 2022, Lot 4666 – $13,800. On the obverse, die flaw below D and S and also below T and E of UNITED. RI of AMERICA weakly struck. Vertical hit on cheek. Top of feathers weakly struck. Struck with clashed dies. 5 of date is flat.
• NGC MS63: Stack’s Bowers, September 30, 2010, Lot 3627 – $13,225.
• NGC MS63: “The C.B. Slide, Jr. Estate”, Stack’s Bowers, June 15, 2010, Lot 2435 – $13,800.
• PCGS MS63 #12594767: Heritage Auctions, December 5, 2008, Lot 1802 – $17,825; “The Longfellow Collection”, Heritage Auctions, February 5, 2010, Lot 1411 – $16,100.
• PCGS MS63: Stack’s Bowers, August 11, 2006, Lot 1163 – $20,700.
• NGC MS63 #447284-006: Heritage Auctions, November 3, 2005, Lot 2358 – $15,525. Certification number no longer active.
• PCGS MS63 #44808397: As NGC MS63 #1608081-003. Heritage Auctions, January 12, 2005, Lot 30391 – $17,825. Crossed over to PCGS after 2005 sale. Copper toning to the right of the headdress. Attractive frost on the devices. Die flaws below E to D, characteristic of the issue.
• PCGS MS63: Stack’s Bowers, October 11, 2004, Lot 689 – $23,000.
• PCGS MS63 #21026488: Heritage Auctions, January 7, 2004 – $23,000. Green Pond on insert.
• PCGS MS63 #3515574: Heritage Auctions, March 2, 2000, Lot 454 – $17,825.

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1858-D Gold Dollar Coin Specifications

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