1850-C Gold Dollar
Circulation strike struck at the Charlotte Mint · 6,966 made
- Mintage
- 6,966
- Metal
- 90% gold, 10% copper
- Weight
- 1.672 g
- Diameter
- 13 mm (Type 1); 15 mm (Types 2 and 3)
Original illustration. Tap to flip. Not a photograph of the actual coin.
Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is an 1850-C Gold Dollar worth?
Few coins in the series are harder to find. Even a worn 1850-C sells well above face value. The flip side is that counterfeits and altered dates are common, so authentication matters.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition with full original luster
- A die variety or minting error
- Certification by PCGS or NGC, which buyers expect for scarce dates
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1850-C Gold Dollar rare?
- Yes. Only 6,966 were made, 29th lowest of the 75 regular issues in the series.
- Is the 1850-C Gold Dollar real gold?
- No, it's gold: 0.0484 troy ounces of pure gold.
- Where is the mint mark on an 1850 Gold Dollar?
- On the reverse, below the wreath. Philadelphia coins have no mint mark. A "D" on a coin dated 1861 or earlier means Dahlonega, Georgia. On this coin the mark is C, for Charlotte.
- Which Charlotte dates near 1850 are scarcer?
- None. Within five years either side, no Charlotte issue had a smaller mintage than the 1850-C.
- How many 1850-C Gold Dollar coins were made?
- 6,966.
What to check on your 1850-C
- Make sure the mint mark really is a C. A worn or filled mark can be misread. It's what separates your coin from the 1850-D (8,382 made).
- Check the date and mint mark under magnification for tooling or added letters. Scarce dates are the ones forgers alter.
- Proof or circulation strike? A proof has mirror-like fields and frosted design details and was sold to collectors, not released in change. The 1850 Gold Dollar Proof (2 made) is the one to compare with.
- Old coins pick up damage over a long life. Look for holes, bends, scratches or signs of cleaning before you judge the grade, because a damaged coin sells for a fraction of a problem-free one.
- Judge the grade under good light. Look at the hair above the eye and the bow of the wreath. Many gold dollars were made into jewelry, so check for solder marks or removed loops.
Gold coins are counterfeited more than any other US coins. A genuine 1850-C weighs 1.672 g. Buy certified examples from a reputable dealer. Southern branch mint gold from Charlotte was struck in small numbers on older equipment, so many coins show weak details or rough surfaces. Well-struck, problem-free examples are prized. Low-mintage dates attract altered and counterfeit coins. Check that the mint mark and date have not been tooled or added, or buy one already certified by PCGS or NGC.
The story of the 1850-C
Charlotte made 6,966 in 1850, down from 11,634 in 1849. The next year it made 41,267 (1851-C).
The other mints made far more that year: 1850 alone came to 481,953, roughly 69 for every 1850-C. If you're checking a pile of 1850 coins, the C is the one to look for. In the whole series, its mintage sits closest to the 1866 (7,100) and the 1853-D (6,583).
Only the 1859-C has a lower mintage among Charlotte's 8 Gold Dollars. Within the 1850s it's 10th smallest of 38, between the 1853-D (6,583) and the 1850-D (8,382).
Small Type 1 dollars of the gold rush (1849 to 1853)
The Act of March 3, 1849 created the gold dollar to make use of the flood of California gold. James B. Longacre's Type 1 coin is tiny, about 13 mm across, with a Liberty head and a wreath reverse. Philadelphia, Charlotte, Dahlonega and New Orleans all struck it in 1849. By 1853 Philadelphia was producing millions a year.
First-year 1849 coins come with open and closed wreaths and with or without Longacre's L on the truncation. The 1849-C with an open wreath is a great rarity. Charlotte and Dahlonega coins were struck in small numbers and often show weak strikes, while New Orleans pieces are more plentiful. Many Type 1 dollars were made into jewelry, so check for solder marks and polished surfaces.
Elsewhere in US coinage in 1850
The first $20 double eagles were struck for circulation in 1850, turning the flood of California gold into the highest-denomination US coin of the time.
How to recognize it
The smallest US coin ever struck came in three types. Type 1 (1849 to 1854) shows a tiny Liberty head and measures only 13 mm. Type 2 (1854 to 1856) is larger and thinner, with Liberty wearing a feathered headdress. Type 3 (1856 to 1889) enlarges the portrait. Every type has a wreath on the reverse around 1 DOLLAR and the date.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Gold Dollar (1849–1889) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1850 |
| Mint | Charlotte Mint |
| Mint mark | "C" |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 6,966 |
| Face value | $1 |
| Composition | 90% gold, 10% copper |
| Weight | 1.672 grams |
| Diameter | 13 mm (Type 1); 15 mm (Types 2 and 3) |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Designer | James B. Longacre |
Other 1850 Gold Dollar issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 Gold Dollar | 481,953 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1850 Gold Dollar Proof | 2 | Proof | – |
| 1850-O Gold Dollar | 14,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1850-C Gold Dollar | 6,966 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1850-D Gold Dollar | 8,382 | Circulation strike | – |
Mintage: Gold dollar (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint records and the Guide Book of United States Coins. How we build these pages.