1861-D G$1 MS65 NGC. Variety 12-Q. The only dies of the year. The obverse die is the same as on the 1860-D. On the reverse,...

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The Finest Graded 1861-D Gold Dollar--An NGC MS65 and a Highlight of the Duke's Creek Collection

1861-D G$1 MS65 NGC. Variety 12-Q. The only dies of the year. The obverse die is the same as on the 1860-D. On the reverse, the date is small and positioned somewhat to the left.
The 1861-D is the rarest and most famous gold dollar from this mint. It is also the single most coveted coin from Dahlonega, as it is the only regular issue that was produced entirely by the Confederacy. After the Mint was seized in April 1861, between 1,000 and 1,500 examples were struck by Rebel forces. It is unlikely that more than five to six dozen are known today. Interestingly, more of these exist in high grade than one might expect, and there are probably more than a dozen pieces in Uncirculated. This is almost certainly due to the fact that examples were saved as souvenirs.
This issue has a very distinct appearance that contributes in part to the charm of the 1861-D gold dollar. It is always found with a weak strike on the obverse, and this example is no exception. The UN in UNITED is weak, but these letters are actually more distinct than usual. The IC in AMERICA is also weak but, again, they are more fully defined than on nearly any other example of the 1861-D gold dollar we have seen. There is also some weakness on the left side of the denticles; this is diagnostic for the issue. The reverse is remarkable and probably has the fullest strike we have seen on an 1861-D. The date and mintmark are full, while the word DOLLAR is complete except for the O, which shows some softness. There are multiple clash marks present--heaviest near the R in DOLLAR. These clash marks can also be seen along the portrait on the obverse but they are not as strong in this area. Some of the field near the left side of the portrait is semi-reflective, this is likely a result of mint personnel attempting to remove the clash marks. The surfaces of this coin are very clean and suggest that it has been carefully preserved since it was produced almost 150 years ago. There is one tiny, shallow t(Registry values: N1)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 25CV, PCGS# 7559, GSID# 8086)

Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper
Weight: 1.67 grams
AGW: 0.04838oz

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