1838-D Classic Head Half Eagle. HM-1, Winter 1-A, the only known dies. Rarity-3. AU-50 (PCGS). CAC. From the Dahlonega Mints first coinage issue comes this inviting, thoroughly PQ half eagle at the AU-50 grade level. Bathed in a bold blend of deep orange-gold and lighter pinkish-rose colors, the surfaces retain appreciable satin luster that is brightest in the protected areas around and among the design elements. Those same design elements are well struck in general and mostly sharp, mentionable softness being confined to the stars around the obverse periphery. Free of troublesome marks with a pleasingly smooth appearance in hand, this is a fully choice example for the grade that is sure to draw strong bids from discerning Southern gold collectors.<p>All 20,583 half eagles coined in Dahlonega in 1838 were struck by a single die pair. Most were distributed regionally and saw extensive circulation; 1838-D half eagles in Fine and Very Fine grade are not unusual. Sylvia Gailey Head and Elizabeth W. Etheridges <em>The Neighborhood Mint: Dahlonega in the Age of Jackson</em> report that the first coins struck at Dahlonega were half eagles. The first press run of 80 coins was struck on April 17, 1838, as recorded in a letter from Mint Superintendent Dr. Joseph J. Singleton to Philadelphia Mint Director Robert M. Patterson on May 1, 1838. Lacking good leadership and technical skills, the Dahlonega Mint got off to a rough start. Important equipment took ages to reach north Georgia from Philadelphia, or it never arrived at all. Quarter eagles were not struck until 1839, and new half eagle dies for 1839 were not received until April of that year. Though silver coinage was authorized by Congress to be struck in Dahlonega in 1840, the facility struck nothing but gold coins until its closure. Taken over by the Confederacy in 1861, the mint structure was left abandoned after the Civil War. In 1871, the building was given to the North Georgia Agricultural College. After the mint burned down in 1878, another structure was constructed on the foundation and now serves as an administration building for the University of North Georgia.<p>This issue attracts interest from several different quarters. Type collectors seek it out as the only Dahlonega Mint Classic Head half eagle. Dahlonega specialists require examples to complete date runs, and those who pursue first year of issue coins cherish the 1838-D as the first half eagle of the Dahlonega Mint. Once the present example finds its way into a tightly held collection, it may be several years before an 1838-D half eagle of similar quality appears on the open market. Interested bidders are urged to prepare an aggressive strategy for this lot. PCGS# 8178. NGC ID: 25S6. CAC Population: 13; in all AU grades. From the George Schwenk Collection. Earlier from our sale of the Georgia Gold Rush of Dahlonega Mint Coinage: 1838-1861, Summer 2022 Global Showcase Auction, August, lot 6078.
