1846-D/D $5.00 PCGS AU53 CAC

D over D mintmark variety. I'm going to go out on a limb here and state that this is one of the loveliest circulated Dahlonega half eagles of any date that I have seen in some times. Both the obverse and the reverse are covered with thick warm amber-gold color which is slightly more intense in hue on the reverse than on the obverse. The fields are extremely clean with no marks of note and the strike is excellent with sharp, even detail seen at the centers and borders. A few spots of dirt can be seen on the reverse above and below the D in UNITED. Locating Dahlonega half eagles of this quality has always been difficult and the 1846-D/D is an extremely scarce variety with this degree of originality. A great coin for the connoisseur who appreciates extreme originality.

The 1846-D/D is a spectacular naked-eye variety on which the original mintmark punch was too high and then another was placed directly below it. It is scarce in terms of overall availability but it is actually seen more in high grades than its Normal Mintmark counterpart.

1851-D $5.00 PCGS EF45

In collector grades (i.e., VF and EF) the 1851-D is one of the more difficult Dahlonega half eagles to find. When available, it is inevitably softly struck, bright from having been dipped and heavily abraded. This deeply toned, sharply struck example is a welcome exception. It displays rich natural russet-gold color with some purplish iridescence surrounding the stars, date and reverse lettering. The surfaces are free of any significant marks and the strike is exceptional for the date with completely defined centers and a strong mintmark placed far to the right. On the reverse, there is a good deal of dirt adhering to the lettering and within the lines of the shield. In my experience, this date, along with the 1848-D, is the most underrated half eagle from this mint and pieces of this quality are genuinely scarce.

1849-D $1.00 NGC EF45

The 1849-D dollar is the most available gold coin from the Dahlonega mint, making it perfect for the new collector. This example is quite choice for the grade with nice dark green-gold color and very clean surfaces. The obverse is slightly weak as often seen at the center while the reverse is sharp with a full date. An old scrape below the 49 in the date is barely noticeable. While certainly not "rare" in the absolute sense of the work, nice affordable 1849-D dollars aren't easily located and this piece would be a perfect introduction to the Wonderful World of Dahlonega.

1859-D $1.00 NGC AU50

Evenly worn with pleasing medium to deep natural coloration on the obverse and the reverse. The strike is typical for the issue with some weakness at the centers but all of the details are defined except for the bow knot. The surfaces are especially clean which is uncommon for this issue. The 1859-D tends to be found in either very low grades or higher grades (AU55 and above) making it a hard issue for the collector on an average budget to acquire. This is a really solid example that would fit nicely into a date set of D mint gold dollars.

1846-D/D $5.00 NGC EF45

Incorrectly labelled on the holder as an "1846-D" by NGC; it is clearly an 1846-D/D. A pleasing coin for the grade with medium to deep reddish-gold color on the obverse and reverse. There are two small toning spots in the upper left obverse field and a small reverse rim bump at 4:00 that is easy to overlook. This is one of my favorite branch mint varieties and the overmintmark is so bold that it can be easily seen with the naked eye.

1853-D Large D $5.00 PCGS AU50 CAC

I searched long and hard for nice Dahlonega half eagles at the recent ANA show and there were next to none available. This tells me that these coins are currently very popular and the collectors who have been buying them over the years have no intention of selling them anytime soon. The present example is solid for the grade with nice surfaces and pleasing rich green-gold color. There is some dirt caked into the recesses of the stars and through the lettering on much of the reverse. This coin would be perfect for the type collector as it is well-made and very affordable.

1843-D $2.50 NGC AU53 CAC

Small Mintmark variety. This totally fresh-to-the-market 1843-D quarter eagle has superb original color with deep coppery-gold and rich reddish-green hues, in different configurations, on the obverse and reverse. The surfaces are very clean with no detracting marks and there is a good amount of dirt in the protected areas. The 1843-D is the most common quarter eagle from this mint but it is not often offered with original color and surfaces. Considering the fact that really nasty slabbed examples of this date rountinely trade in the $2000-2500 range, this piece seems like a wonderful value at just a small premium.

1843-D $5.00 NGC AU58 CAC

It has become tremendously hard to find Gem Slider Dahlonega half eagles of any date; even the more common ones like the 1843-D. My theory is that many of the former AU58 coins were ruined in an attempt to garner a higher grade and most of the surviving examples have been cherished members of advanced collections for years. Its been many months since I've had an AU58 that was as nice as this example. It is very well made with an excellent quality strike on a choice, problem-free planchet. It has never been cleaned or dipped and it shows lovely light reddish-gold and orange hues, in slightly different configurations, on the obverse and reverse. If I had to choose the perfect date for a type coin within the Dahlonega half eagle series I'd probably select the 1843-D given the quality workmanship that characterizes this issue. That said, there are very few AU58's known for the date that compare to this and special coins like this are rarely offered to Dahlonega collectors any more.

1843-D $2.50 NGC AU53 CAC

Given the fact that this is the most common quarter eagle from this mint and it is among the best produced, the 1843-D is a perfect type coin for the collector who is becoming interested in Dahlonega gold. This deep green-gold example is original and choice with a good deal of dirt in the recesses of the obverse and reverse. It is sharply detailed and has good overall eye appeal for the date and grade. I'm often asked if it is still possible to purchase nifty branch mint gold for $2,000-3,000 and I offer a coin like this as proof that such pieces still exist.