Miami Valley Coin Club

The Dahlonega Mint

After the discovery of gold in the 1820’s in the region of northern Georgia, citizens began clamoring for a regional mint to coin their gold. Their yearnings fell on sympathetic ears in Washington D. C. In 1835 President Andrew Jackson signed into law a bill establishing mints at Dahlonega, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina.

Set to open in the spring of 1837, construction problems delayed the opening until February of 1838. It took until April for the mint to receive enough gold ingots to begin coin production.

Dahlonega produced only half-eagles in 1838 and today an 1838-D half-eagle in VF condition is worth about $4,000.

The first quarter-eagles were coined in 1839. Less than 14,000 were struck. What is unusual about the 1839-D quarter-eagle is that they are all overdates (1839/8). Today, an 1838/9-D quarter-eagle is worth about $5,800 in EF.

The Dahlonega Mint operated until the Civil War broke out when it was seized by the governor of Georgia, Joseph E. Brown. By war’s end, Union troops had recaptured the mint, which although never again used to coin gold, remained open until being officially closed in 1873.