| Author |
 Replies: 14 / Views: 1,006 |
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1499 Posts |
  Dahlonega, Georgia Mint coins are sometimes tough to grade, and this falls into that category. Now that I've dropped a hint I'll be back in a day or so to present a theory as to why it looks this way.
|
|
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
H-m-m. Must be AU or Unc. Not my field for sure.  |
|
Valued Member
United States
431 Posts |
Looks weakly struck especially on the reverse. Ill go with AU
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
6370 Posts |
AU something or another. Typical crappy strike for a Dahlonega dollar.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
3210 Posts |
Dahlonega gold is always subpar strikes and luster ....I'm going to guess low to mid ms. I don't see any wear and very little scratches.
|
|
Valued Member
United States
115 Posts |
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
4337 Posts |
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
 United States
18662 Posts |
just for kicks I'm going with AU53
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
8137 Posts |
|
|
Rest in Peace
United States
4078 Posts |
Dsfreeworld posted Quote:
filled die? MS63  |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
5668 Posts |
Maybe a combination of weak strike and die erosion? I'll say AU-53.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
6384 Posts |
Weak detail is mostly a striking problem but there is some wear. Eye appeal is definitely hurt by the poor strike and that should be reflected in the assigned grade. AU-50 seems about the maximum appropriate grade.
By the way, I checked Heritage auction archives for this date and you have to go back to 1997 to find any listing for an example graded below AU-50. Although there seems to be no such thing as a well-struck 1850-D the OP's coin is weaker than most.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
4989 Posts |
This date is exceptionally rare in mint state and is almost always very flatly struck on obverse. I would say AU-50 to AU-53 range for this example. Great coin!
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
4409 Posts |
|
|
Pillar of the Community
 United States
1499 Posts |
PCGS graded this 1850-D gold dollar EF-45. The coin probably would have made AU-50 if the strike had been sharper. There is enough luster in the protected areas of the fields to warrant that grade.
The 1850-D gold dollar seldom comes nice. The problem is with the strike. Some Dahlonega collectors have the theory that this was a reflection of a change in management. In 1843 James Cooper was appointed as the superintendent of the Dahlonega Mint. Cooper was a West Point graduate and brought to the discipline and efficiency. Wait times for the conversion of gold bullion to coins was reduced to only three business days, and morale at the mint improved greatly. At the same time production at the Dahlonega area mines greatly increased. Cooper's years at the mint were truly the facility's "golden age."
Zachary Taylor was elected president in 1848 and took office the following year. In those days, before civil service, a change in the president and most certainly a change in the political party in power met that large numbers of government employees lost their jobs under the spoils system. James Cooper was no exception. Taylor appointed A.W. Redding to superintendent's post in 1849, and after that the quality of the coins produced at Dahlonega fell for a period of time.
|
| |
Replies: 14 / Views: 1,006 |
|
Posted 04/20/2016 5:29 pm
