1860 Gold Dollar

Also - I'm fairly certain I already know the answer to this, but, should I clean it in any way? And if so, how?

Thanks Cruisinfusion -- I assumed that was the answer, but just wanted to make sure. Any idea what the value/grading might be?

Thanks, Joseph7420 -- I took some better photos and hope to have them up during my lunch break.

Welcome to Coin Community, sok82.

In the context of Gold Dollars, it's not a particularly rare one - this is the Indian Princess (Large Head) design, and a large number of them boast year/mint mark mintages of less than 10,000. Yours is the 9th most-common of the 47 different issues of the type, which started in 1856. With that said, it's still a pricey little coin in the grand scheme of things, worth far more than just the gold content.

I could see AU55 as an appropriate grade for the coin, perhaps even better. Further, it seems relatively free of the scratches a soft metal like gold so easily accumulates, a big point in its' favor since superior eye appeal often adds value to a coin of a given grade. The downside to that is, sometimes that lack of scratching is the result of a deliberate act - cleaning or modifying the surfaces, which kills the value of the coin. Should liquidation of the coin be a goal, it must be submitted to a reputable third-party grader for authentication and evaluation of the surfaces. Of the TPG's, PCGS-encapsulated carry a substantial premium for this type, and would be my recommended destination for it. In a PCGS slab, a "righteous" AU55 example is probably a $400+ coin, but if cleaned or modified - and identified by PCGS as such - halve that value.

I believe this coin has about a 40,000 mintage... I'll have to check my RedBook when I get home. I'm sure even fewer than that, a lot fewer than that, still survive. Pretty neat to have a coin with so few in existence.

Nice coin. Get it TPGd by PCGS and lock it up in your safe for another 50 years.

Some things aren't meant to be sold. This is one of them.

The die clash I am seeing is from the left ribbon bow at an angle ending at the D in dollar.

Clashes aren't errors it happens when the two dies strike each other without a planchet in between them.

Die clashes are common on these and don't affect the value either way. I find them neat.

-MV

I would need to get a better look at the luster, but I can see this coin receiving a mint state grade. Probably lower end, 61 to 63, as the spotting would hold it back. AU-58 at worst imho. These were often softly struck, so what by some have contrived to be wear, could easily be strike weakness. I have an NGC AU-58 example, and this one boasts much better detail than mine. Luster is key at this point in the grade of the coin. Can you take photos of the coin under a direct light?

Also, to note, this coin is heavily counterfeited....some to the point of using transfer dies with real gold. Not saying yours looks fake, just that it NEEDS authentication by a third party grader. The fact that it has a die clash bodes very well to the coin being real, so I think you are ok...but you still need it graded. It is a requirement if you ever sell it. btw, NICE COIN!!