Stacks Bowers is buying and selling all rare coins and currency

HomeUS CoinsA Neat Knick-Knack - Counterfeit 1842 Dahlonega Gold Half Eagle

A Neat Knick-Knack – Counterfeit 1842 Dahlonega Gold Half Eagle

A Neat Knick-Knack - Counterfeit 1842 Dahlonega Gold Half Eagle

Counterfeit Dahlonega Gold by Doug WinterRareGoldCoins.com ……
CoinWeek Content Partner
As you become a more passionate collector, “oddball” items become more appealing. I refer to these as knick-knacks and, as you can guess, this is a pretty broad term. For the coin collector, knick-knacks become more appealing as they become more relevant to your collecting specialty. As an example, a collector of Morgan Dollars will be more excited by a canvas silver dollar bag from the Philadelphia Mint dated 1885 than I would. To me, this is a neat item but not one that gets my numismatic juices really flowing.

I probably shouldn’t admit this but there is one area in numismatics that I love above all else: the coinage of the Dahlonega Mint. There is something about the coinage from this southern branch mint that appeals to me a little more than any of the other mints. And as someone who loves Dahlonega gold coins, I am always on the lookout for interesting Dahlonega gold-related knick-knacks.

The problem is that there just aren’t many interesting contemporary items from this mint. Sadly, while the Dahlonega Mint has left a fascinating legacy of coins for collectors, there are very few items like patterns, mint records, drawings, or items from the original mint left for collectors. Around 17 years ago, I was able to purchase a bullion receipt dated 1856 from the mint (a rare item and, until a small group of these was found a few years back, one of just two that I had ever seen) but my Dahlonega knick-knack collection was pretty slim.

Until recently, that is.

At a Dallas ANA show several years ago, I purchased an item that I think is extremely cool and probably very rare: a contemporary counterfeit 1842-D Small Date Dahlonega gold half eagle (shown below) that is the first counterfeit gold coin from this mint that I have ever seen:

The coin was made in brass and later gilt plated. It shows extremely good work, especially on the reverse. It is the proper size and weight (22 mm in diameter and a bit over 8.2 grams) and, as you can see, it appears to have seen a small amount of circulation.

If you think about it, a contemporary counterfeit Dahlonega gold half eagle makes sense – especially in 1842, which was just the third year in which the new Liberty Head half eagle was produced. For many people, especially those who didn’t live that close to Dahlonega, there was not much familiarity with the new coins from this mint and a reasonable facsimile stood a decent chance of entering circulation and staying there.

But, there were other reasons why a Dahlonega gold coin like this is an amazing anomaly. It was die struck, and someone with real artistic sensibility took the time to create the obverse and reverse dies. A goodly amount of artistic and technological sophistication was required, and this doesn’t seem to be something that was found in excess in North Georgia in the early 1840s. Also–and I don’t know this for sure–the penalties for counterfeiting in the South during this time period had to have been excessively harsh. Someone was taking a huge risk to produce counterfeit gold coins in Georgia in the early 1840s, and you have to wonder how many were actually made let alone entered circulation.

So, why is this item special to me and why does it now hold a place high in my personal collection of knick-knacks? As someone who is a major dealer in Dahlonega gold, I won’t collect the coins from this mint because I don’t want to compete against my clients. So this is the closest thing to a “real” piece of D mint gold that I can hope to own. But beyond that, I love the rarity and the history of this piece.

How rare is it? I have never seen another, and I’d like to think I’ve got the inside track on any pieces that would have come onto the market in the past two-plus decades.

How historic is it? A contemporary counterfeit 1842-D half eagle that is well-designed and still retains much of its original gilt finish clearly has an incredible story to tell, although I may never know exactly what it is.

But getting back to the original point, items like this are what make collecting really fun. Regular-issue coins are great and there is certainly a huge amount of pride of ownership to have a Gem 1842-D half eagle in your set. But the really esoteric items in the Dahlonega market (or in any other market) really appeal to me. Be they catalogs, original papers, plaster molds… anything that gives me a deeper insight into the coins that I love adds a lot of value to my personal holdings.
Doug Winter Numismatics, specialists in U.S. gold coins

* * *

About Doug Winter

Doug_Winter2Doug has spent much of his life in the field of numismatics; beginning collecting coins at the age of seven, and by the time he was 10 years old, buying and selling coins at conventions in the New York City area.

In 1989, he founded Douglas Winter Numismatics, and his firm specializes in buying and selling choice and rare US Gold coins, especially US gold coins and all branch mint material.

Recognized as one of the leading specialized numismatic firms, Doug is an award-winning author of over a dozen numismatic books and a recognized expert on US Gold. His knowledge and an exceptional eye for properly graded and original coins have made him one of the most respected figures in the numismatic community and a sought-after dealer by collectors and investors looking for professional personalized service, a select inventory of impeccable quality, and fair and honest pricing. Doug is also a major buyer of all US coins and is always looking to purchase collections both large and small. He can be reached at (214) 675-9897.

Doug has been a contributor to the Guidebook of United States Coins (also known as the “Red Book”) since 1983, Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of United States and Colonial Coins, Q. David Bowers’ Encyclopedia of United States Silver Dollars and Andrew Pollock’s United States Pattern and Related Issues.

In addition, he has authored 13 books on US Gold coins including:
  • Gold Coins of the New Orleans Mint: 1839-1909
  • Gold Coins of the Carson City Mint: 1870 – 1893
  • Gold Coins of the Charlotte Mint: 1838-1861
  • Gold Coins of the Dahlonega Mint 1838-1861
  • The United States $3 Gold Pieces 1854-1889
  • Carson City Gold Coinage 1870-1893: A Rarity and Condition Census Update
  • An Insider’s Guide to Collecting Type One Double Eagles
  • The Connoisseur’s Guide to United States Gold Coins
  • A Collector’s Guide To Indian Head Quarter Eagles
  • The Acadiana Collection of New Orleans Coinage
  • Type Three Double Eagles, 1877-1907: A Numismatic History and Analysis
  • Gold Coins of the Dahlonega Mint, 1838-1861: A Numismatic History and Analysis
  • Type Two Double Eagles, 1866-1876: A Numismatic History and Analysis

Finally, Doug is a member of virtually every major numismatic organization, professional trade group and major coin association in the US.

 

Doug Winter
Doug Winterhttps://www.raregoldcoins.com
Doug Winter founded Douglas Winter Numismatics (DWN) in 1985. The nationally renowned firm specializes in buying and selling rare United States gold coins. He has written over a dozen books, including the standard references on Charlotte, Dahlonega, and New Orleans gold coinage, and Type 1 Liberty Head Double Eagles. Douglas has also contributed to the A Guidebook of United States Coins, Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of United States and Colonial Coins, Q. David Bowers’ Encyclopedia of United States Silver Dollars, and Andrew Pollock’s United States Pattern and Related Issues. He is a member of the PNG, the ANA, the ANS, the NLG, CAC, PCGS, and NGC - among other professional affiliations. Contact Doug Winter at [email protected].

Related Articles

1 COMMENT

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Stacks Bowers Auction

L and C COIN New Coins

David Lawrence Rare Coins Auctions