Variety 2. Mintmark above the 39 in the date; this is the more common of the two varieties. The 1839-D is a desirable one-year type. It is the first and only Dahlonega issue with the initial rendition of the Liberty Head design and one of just two issues from this mint with the mintmark on the obverse; the other is the 1838-D Classic Head. The 1839-D has become very popular in recent years after decades of neglect. This lightly worn example is bright and very lustrous with pale green-gold color and very clean surfaces for the date and grade. Some minor planchet roughness can be seen along the outlines of the portrait; this is typical for the issue and is related to improper preparation of the planchet. The last four NGC AU58 examples of the 1839-D half eagle, sold at various times between 2008 and 2012, have brought $13,800, $14,375, $16,100 and $18,400. A nice example of this scarce, popular and numismatically significant issue.