Values
A gold dollar’s market depends on the head, the mint, and the wear. This page is a series reference, not a price list.
The mintage chart leaves G, VF, and MS-63 blank. The NGC US Coin Price Guide file retrieved 2026-08-21 does not cover this coin. Do not turn a small diameter into a price.
If you have one and want to sell it, start with how to sell a coin collection. The three-dollar piece is a different coin from the same designer. The quarter eagle is the two-and-a-half-dollar piece people sometimes confuse with later gold.
Key Dates
No key list was copied onto this page. A low-mintage row is still a row. It is not a bold line until a publisher key list is checked against this chart.
Errors
Two 1854 Philadelphia coins. Type 1 and Type 2 are both real. Read the mint label. Do not merge them.
1856 San Francisco. That mint is Type 2. The other 1856 mints on the chart are Type 3. The year is not one head.
1861 Dahlonega. The source table says estimated. That cell is not a row.
Proofs. A separate proof table exists. Those counts stay off this circulation chart.
Compare the coin to the NGC Coin Explorer gold dollar pages. We do not host their plates. The explorer is not the mintage source for this chart.
Varieties
Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3 are the heads. The D on this series is Dahlonega, not Denver. Proofs stay off the chart.
- Type 1, Liberty HeadJames B. Longacre’s Liberty head, from 1849 through part of 1854. The plate on this page is an 1849 of this type.
- 1849 open wreath and closed wreathType 1 comes with an open wreath and a closed wreath. Guides name both. This page does not split a count.
- Type 2, small Indian headThe small princess head, including the second Philadelphia row of 1854, the 1855 coins, and 1856-S. The other 1856 mints are Type 3.
- Type 3, large Indian headThe enlarged princess head from 1856, except San Francisco’s 1856, through 1889. Head size tells Type 2 from Type 3, not the mint mark.
Names follow PCGS CoinFacts and NGC, the same publishers this site already cites. This is a name list, not a price list and not a count.
Mintage
Circulation strikes, 1849 through 1889. Philadelphia, Charlotte, Dahlonega, New Orleans, and San Francisco.
| Year | Mint | Mintage | G | VF | MS-63 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1849 | P Type 1 | 688,567 Philadelphia. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1849 | C Type 1 | 11,634 C is Charlotte. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1849 | D Type 1 | 21,588 D is Dahlonega. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1849 | O Type 1 | 215,000 O is New Orleans. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1850 | P Type 1 | 481,953 Philadelphia. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1850 | C Type 1 | 6,966 C is Charlotte. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1850 | D Type 1 | 8,382 D is Dahlonega. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1850 | O Type 1 | 14,000 O is New Orleans. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1851 | P Type 1 | 3,317,671 Philadelphia. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1851 | C Type 1 | 41,267 C is Charlotte. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1851 | D Type 1 | 9,882 D is Dahlonega. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1851 | O Type 1 | 290,000 O is New Orleans. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1852 | P Type 1 | 2,045,351 Philadelphia. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1852 | C Type 1 | 9,434 C is Charlotte. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1852 | D Type 1 | 6,360 D is Dahlonega. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1852 | O Type 1 | 140,000 O is New Orleans. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1853 | P Type 1 | 24,076,051 Philadelphia. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1853 | C Type 1 | 11,515 C is Charlotte. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1853 | D Type 1 | 6,583 D is Dahlonega. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1853 | O Type 1 | 290,000 O is New Orleans. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1854 | P Type 1 | 855,502 Philadelphia. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1854 | D Type 1 | 2,935 D is Dahlonega. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1854 | S Type 1 | 14,632 S is San Francisco. Liberty Head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1854 | P Type 2 | 783,943 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, small head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1855 | P Type 2 | 758,269 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, small head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1855 | C Type 2 | 9,803 C is Charlotte. Indian Princess, small head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1855 | D Type 2 | 1,811 D is Dahlonega. Indian Princess, small head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1855 | O Type 2 | 55,000 O is New Orleans. Indian Princess, small head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1856 | P Type 3 | 1,762,936 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1856 | D Type 3 | 1,460 D is Dahlonega. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1856 | S Type 2 | 24,600 S is San Francisco. Indian Princess, small head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1857 | P Type 3 | 774,789 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1857 | C Type 3 | 13,280 C is Charlotte. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1857 | D Type 3 | 3,533 D is Dahlonega. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1857 | S Type 3 | 10,000 S is San Francisco. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1858 | P Type 3 | 117,995 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1858 | D Type 3 | 3,477 D is Dahlonega. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1858 | S Type 3 | 10,000 S is San Francisco. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1859 | P Type 3 | 168,244 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1859 | C Type 3 | 5,235 C is Charlotte. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1859 | D Type 3 | 4,952 D is Dahlonega. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1859 | S Type 3 | 15,000 S is San Francisco. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1860 | P Type 3 | 36,514 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1860 | D Type 3 | 1,566 D is Dahlonega. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1860 | S Type 3 | 13,000 S is San Francisco. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1861 | P Type 3 | 527,150 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1862 | P Type 3 | 1,361,355 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1863 | P Type 3 | 6,200 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1864 | P Type 3 | 5,900 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1865 | P Type 3 | 3,700 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1866 | P Type 3 | 7,100 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1867 | P Type 3 | 5,200 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1868 | P Type 3 | 10,500 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1869 | P Type 3 | 5,900 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1870 | P Type 3 | 6,300 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1870 | S Type 3 | 3,000 S is San Francisco. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1871 | P Type 3 | 3,900 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1872 | P Type 3 | 3,500 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1873 | P Type 3 | 125,100 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1874 | P Type 3 | 198,800 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1875 | P Type 3 | 400 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1876 | P Type 3 | 3,200 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1877 | P Type 3 | 3,900 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1878 | P Type 3 | 3,000 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1879 | P Type 3 | 3,000 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1880 | P Type 3 | 1,600 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1881 | P Type 3 | 7,620 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1882 | P Type 3 | 5,000 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1883 | P Type 3 | 10,800 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1884 | P Type 3 | 5,230 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1885 | P Type 3 | 11,156 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1886 | P Type 3 | 5,000 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1887 | P Type 3 | 7,500 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1888 | P Type 3 | 15,501 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
| 1889 | P Type 3 | 28,950 Philadelphia. Indian Princess, large head. Proofs stay off. | — | — | — |
Mintage: the note under this table names the page that printed each count. These figures are not an NGC Coin Explorer extract and they are not the 1974 Mint pamphlet.
Collector-standard year/mint presentation follows A Guide Book of United States Coins (the Red Book). These cells are Mint manufacture figures, not a Red Book net or melt.
Values: NGC US Coin Price Guide, retrieved 2026-08-21. Guide values, not offers. Not melt. NGC IDs link to the same publisher’s price-guide listing.
Key date names: PCGS CoinFacts (2026-08-21). Bold rows are only dates that publisher named.
Circulation figures are the Wikipedia gold dollar tables, retrieved 2026-10-06. Type 1 and Type 2 in 1854 are separate rows. 1856 San Francisco is Type 2. The other 1856 mints are Type 3. The Dahlonega estimate stays off. Proofs stay off. D is Dahlonega.
The counts are the Wikipedia circulation tables, retrieved 2026-10-06. Proofs stay off. The Dahlonega estimate stays off. D on this page is Dahlonega.
The grade columns are empty because this site has no NGC guide extract for this coin.
Specifications
These are mint specs, not what a dealer pays. Wear can take a little weight off. We will not invent a tolerance. A catalog page was not used to print a diameter or a weight for every head on this run, so those figures stay off the spec table.
| Specification | Figure |
|---|---|
| Diameter | Not printed |
| Thickness | Not printed |
| Weight | Not printed |
| Composition | Not printed on a cited catalog page |
| Edge | Not printed on a cited catalog page |
| Designer | James B. Longacre |
No catalog page used for the gold dollar prints a thickness. Diameter, weight, and thickness stay Not printed. The three-dollar planchet is not copied onto this coin.
Grading
A gold dollar wears first in the hair. Type 1 is Liberty. Types 2 and 3 are an Indian princess, and the head size is the difference.
This is a small gold coin. Hairlines from a wipe are damage, not a higher grade.
Key Diagnostic Areas
| Area | What to examine | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Hair | The curls on Liberty, or the feathers and hair on the princess. | Those high points go flat while the rim can still look sharp. |
| Head size | Small head versus large head on the princess. | 1854 Philadelphia is two coins. 1856 San Francisco is the small head. The other 1856 mints are the large head. |
| The wreath | The wreath and the denomination on the reverse. | The reverse is part of the grade. A mint mark, when it is there, sits on that side. |
| Mint mark | C, D, O, or S, and a plain Philadelphia coin. | D is Dahlonega. Denver did not strike this series. |
Circulated & Mint State
These cards describe this coin, not a second copy of the P-1 through MS-70 chart. The shared numbers live on the glossary.
See graded photos. The photos that show what VF looks like live at PCGS. We do not host their plates. NGC Coin Explorer is another look if you want a second set.
What each named grade looks like on this design.
Poor
Poor
A disk you can still call a gold dollar if you already know the type.
- The hair are gone.
- The date may be a shadow. Do not scrape it.
- Shine does not make this a better coin.
AG
About Good
You might read a digit. The high points on this gold dollar are already slick.
- The hair are worn to a blank patch.
- If you cannot read the date without hoping, stay here.
- A 1853 is still this grade if it is this worn.
Good
Good
The date is readable. The design is still mostly an outline.
- The hair are flat. The type is an outline, not a portrait.
- The rim should be full enough to hold the legend.
- This is a worn coin, not a details story.
VG
Very Good
The date is clear. A little life returns away from the high points.
- Some leftover detail sits away from the hair.
- The high points are still tired.
- Do not clean the date to “see it better.”
Fine
Fine
You can follow the design. The high points are outlined, not sharp.
- The hair are outlined and flat — no real sharpness yet.
- The rest of the coin can look busier than the grade.
- The date should be clear. The mint mark should be too, if there is one.
VF
Very Fine
The type is doing real work. The hair still decide.
- Leftover detail sits on the hair. The centers are still the worn spot.
- Marks do not raise the grade.
- A regular 1853 is still this grade if it is this worn.
EF
Extremely Fine
Most of the coin looks sharp. The high points tell on it.
- Light wear on the hair.
- The rest of the coin can look better than the grade. Trust the high points.
- The date should be sharp.
AU
About Uncirculated
Almost no wear — and “almost” lives on the same high points.
- A trace of rub on the hair.
- Luster may still sit in the fields. Rub on those high points is still rub.
- A bright coin with a slick high point is still slick.
Basal MS
Mint State
No wear. The fight is marks and luster, not how white the coin looks.
- No rub on the hair.
- Marks and luster decide how this mint-state coin lives.
- A bright chewed-up coin is still chewed-up.
Choice
Choice Mint State
Still no wear. Cleaner fields than basal mint state.
- Same no-wear rule on the hair.
- Fewer marks in the fields. Luster is more intact.
- White is not a grade.
Gem
Gem Mint State
A clean gold dollar for this type. Still mint state, still not a story.
- No wear on the hair.
- Marks and luster, not a romance about a date or a white field.
- A slab is an opinion in plastic. The glossary has the numbers.
Proof gold dollars exist. This page does not invent a PR price grid. The proof numbers live on the glossary.
Copper color designations do not apply to this gold coin. See the Lincoln Wheat cent and the glossary.
Overview
The gold dollar is the small gold coin struck from 1849 through 1889. James B. Longacre’s first head is Liberty. The next two are an Indian princess: a small head, then a larger one. Branch mints marked C, D, O, and S. The D is Dahlonega, not Denver.
The photograph is an 1849 Type 1 from the National Numismatic Collection. It is not the princess head. Do not grade every gold dollar as if it were that plate.
This page is a series article, not a shop listing.
History
Congress added the denomination in 1849, in the middle of the California gold rush. The first coins are the Liberty head, struck through part of 1854. The diameter was small for the gold weight, and the relief was hard to strike up. In 1854 the Mint switched to the Indian princess. That small head is Type 2, including the second Philadelphia row of 1854 and the 1855 branch-mint coins. In 1856 the head was enlarged. San Francisco’s 1856 coins stayed on the small head. The other 1856 mints, and the coins after that through 1889, are the large head.
Charlotte, Dahlonega, and New Orleans appear on the early rows. San Francisco starts in the Type 1 table in 1854. The series ends in 1889. Proof strikes exist for many years. They are a different table and they are not on this chart.
Design
Obverse: Type 1, Liberty head, by James B. Longacre. Type 2 and Type 3, Indian princess, also Longacre. Reverse: a wreath and the denomination. Type 2 and Type 3 are told apart by the size of the head, not by a mint mark.
Look at the hair. On a worn coin the curls go flat first. A mint mark, when it is there, sits on the reverse. C, D, O, and S are the branch mints. No mark is Philadelphia.
People Also Ask
Why are there two 1854 Philadelphia rows?
Type 1 is the Liberty head. Type 2 is the small Indian princess head. The circulation tables print both. They are not added together.
What does the D mean?
Dahlonega. Denver did not strike gold dollars. C is Charlotte. O is New Orleans. S is San Francisco. A plain coin is Philadelphia.
Why is 1861 Dahlonega missing?
The table prints an estimate for that mint, not an exact count. Estimates stay off this chart.
How much is a gold dollar worth?
This page does not print guide prices. The NGC US Coin Price Guide file retrieved 2026-08-21 does not include this series. A small gold coin is still not a price.
Collector Considerations
Buy the head you can see. An 1849 Liberty head is not an 1856 princess. A Dahlonega coin should show a D. A story about Dahlonega is not a mint mark.
If the coin has been cleaned, the hairlines will show in the fields. Gold scratches. A bright wipe is not original luster.
The three-dollar piece uses a related princess. It is larger and it says three dollars. For the twenty-dollar Liberty head of the same era, read the Liberty double eagle.
A Final Word
The gold dollar is three heads and a small planchet. The chart is the circulation tables. The estimate and the proofs stay off.
When you want the next Longacre gold coin, the three-dollar piece is already here.