The Gold dollar compresses the Gold Rush era into a tiny coin whose three Longacre types changed diameter and portrait relief while keeping the same gold weight.
This guide covers the 1849–1889 federal Gold dollar, including all cataloged Philadelphia and branch-mint issues. Three Dollar pieces and private territorial gold are separate series.
Core specifications
- Issue period
- 1849–1889
- Catalog mints
- 5
- Reported catalog mintage
- 19,417,150
- Composition
- 90% Gold - 10% Copper
- Diameter
- Varies by type
- Weight
- 1.672 g
Gold discoveries create a new dollar
Congress authorized the Gold dollar in 1849 as growing domestic gold supplies reshaped federal coinage.
Longacre enlarged the diameter after the first type and then lowered the portrait relief, producing three major designs whose small size makes strike and surface quality especially important.
Obverse, reverse, and the details that identify the type
Confirm the major design, date, and mint mark before studying smaller die differences.
The main portrait and date
Type 1 shows a coroneted Liberty; Types 2 and 3 use an Indian Princess portrait, with the later head larger and flatter.
Denomination, subject, and mint mark
A wreath surrounds the denomination and date; its agricultural elements and lettering help separate the three types.
Where the cataloged coins were made
Totals are calculated from reported issue records in this catalog; unknown figures are not counted as zero.
- P — Philadelphia: 1849, 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865, 1866, 1867, 1868, 1869, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889; 18,140,005. Philadelphia issues commonly carry no P mint mark in classic series; confirm the expected blank area rather than searching for a letter.
- O — New Orleans: 1849, 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1855; 1,004,000. Confirm the O mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
- C — C: 1849, 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1855, 1857, 1859; 109,134. Confirm the C mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
- S — San Francisco: 1854, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860, 1870; 90,232. Confirm the S mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
- D — Denver: 1849, 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861; 73,779. Confirm the D mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
Representative issues that explain the series
A three-type set is the clearest starting point. Date-and-mint collectors should treat Charlotte and Dahlonega issues as specialist purchases.
- 1849 P - Open Wreath - With L — 688,567. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1854 S — 14,632. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1856 D — 1,460. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1861 D — 1,250. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1875 P — 420. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
Issue catalog
From one type coin to a complete catalog
- One representative coin: Choose one problem-free, readable example and learn the size, edge, and major design.
- Major-type set: Use one coin per major design to show changes in artwork, composition, or production.
- Dates and mints: Work through the issue catalog by date and mint, defining special finishes separately.
A note on catalog records
This page uses 83 issue records, 0 modeled varieties, and currently reported mintages; unknown values remain unknown.
Sources
- Dollar Coins and Their History — United States Mint
- Gold Eagle Coins and Their History — United States Mint
- Gold Dollar category reference — PCGS CoinFacts