LOT #3584 |
Current Bid: $1,100
1861-D $5 AU55 PCGS. Winter 47-GG....
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Description
1861-D Half Eagle, Sharp AU55
Rare Final-Year Dahlonega Five
Historic Low Mintage Issue
1861-D $5 AU55 PCGS. Winter 47-GG. Alongside the equally
famous 1861-D gold dollar, the 1861-D half eagle is the great prize
among all Dahlonega gold issues. Although the Dahlonega Mint by act
of Congress was allowed to coin silver denominations, no ready
supply of silver bullion existed and the coining presses were not
large enough to strike quarters, half dollars, or silver dollars.
That left only gold dollars, quarter eagles, and half eagles as the
sole output from the Georgia facility. Most memorably, coining
operations were interrupted in April 1861 when the Confederacy
assumed control of the Georgia mint. A scant 1,597 half eagles had
been struck during the first few months of the year when the Mint
was under Federal control, followed by an unknown but small number
of five dollar gold pieces struck under Confederate authority --
produced by mint personnel who swung their allegiance to the
Confederate side. Accordingly, Doug Winter writes:"The 1861-D is the rarest and most popular Dahlonega half eagle. When available, it is seen in EF40 to AU50 grades. It is seldom offered for sale in AU and most of the examples in this range grade AU53 to AU55."
Choice green-gold surfaces accompany this AU55 example. While the 1861-D is notorious for it weak strike, this example is far sharper than most in its grade range, with bold stars and only minor weakness at the face curls that also show light circulation wear. The eagle's leg feathers are well-defined, while the usually weak arrow feathers and claws retain slight detail. Although the 1861-D ranks among the most challenging half eagles to survive with smooth and attractive surfaces, this example shows minimal marks for the assigned grade and there are no significant abrasions or heavy contacts. Two tiny marks on the cheek near the nose and a bit of chatter along the neckline are seen under magnification. Doug Winter estimates only 75 to 85 pieces survive in all grades combined, making coins of this quality in strong demand among the many branch mint gold and Dahlonega specialists. PCGS Population: 9 in 55 (1 in 55+), 19 finer (9/25).(Registry values: P6)
Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 25VM, PCGS# 8290, Greysheet# 9038)
Weight: 8.36 grams
Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper
Note for clients in the European Union: This lot is considered by the European Union to be “investment gold”. We believe that it meets the criteria established in Article 344(1), point (2) of Council Directive 2006/112/EC and thus should be exempt from import VAT regardless of the selling price. Any questions or concerns about VAT should be addressed to your accountant or local tax authority.
Auction Info
2025 November 13 - 14 US Coins Signature® Auction #1387 (go to Auction Home page)
Proxy Bidding Ends
November
13th
Thursday
5:50 pm CT
Auction Dates
November
13th-14th
Thursday-Friday
Proxy Bidding Time Remaining
18 Days
9h 50m 34s
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 6
Lot Tracking Activity: 26
Page Views: 141
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
20% of the successful bid (minimum $29) per lot.
This lot is in: 2 -
Signature® Premier Floor Session (Live Floor, Live Phone, Mail, Fax, Internet, and Heritage Live):
(Lots 3464-3713) - 6:00 PM Central Time, Thursday, November 13, 2025.
[Proxy bidding ends ten minutes prior to the session start time. Live Proxy bidding on Heritage Live now starts within 2 hours of when the auction opens for proxy bidding and continues through the live session.]
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Additional Location Info:
Heritage Auctions
2801 W. Airport Freeway
Dallas, TX 75261
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