1886 Gold Dollar Proof
Proof struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 1,016 made
- Mintage
- 1,016
- 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 1886 Gold Dollar Proof worth?
Few coins in the series are harder to find. Even a worn 1886 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:
- Grade and, for proofs, strong cameo contrast
- 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 1886 Gold Dollar Proof rare?
- Fairly. The Mint made 1,016 for collectors. Most were kept in their original packaging.
- Is the 1886 Gold Dollar Proof real gold?
- No, it's gold: 0.0484 troy ounces of pure gold.
- Where is the mint mark on an 1886 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.
- How many 1886 Gold Dollar proofs were made?
- 1,016.
What to check on your 1886
- There's no mint mark on this one, so the date and condition are what matter.
- 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 1886 weighs 1.672 g. Buy certified examples from a reputable dealer. Proofs from 1886 were struck one at a time in small numbers and many were later spent or mishandled. Look for hairlines from cleaning, which lower the grade.
The story of the 1886
Hoarded final decade (1880 to 1889)
Gold dollars of the 1880s were struck only at Philadelphia in small numbers, from 1,600 in 1880 to 28,950 in 1889. Speculators, jewelers and gift buyers took many of them. A large share therefore survives in uncirculated condition, often with prooflike surfaces that can be mistaken for proofs.
Proof production jumped to more than 1,000 a year from 1884, a sign of how popular the little coins had become with collectors. The Act of September 26, 1890 ended the gold dollar along with the three dollar gold piece and the three-cent nickel, so 1889 was the final year. Late dates are the easiest gold dollars to find in high grade, although they still carry a premium over their gold content. Look for signs of jewelry mounting on the rim before buying.
Elsewhere in US coinage in 1886
The Indian Head cent portrait was adjusted partway through 1886, creating the Type 1 and Type 2 varieties, told apart by where the last feather of the headdress points.
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 | 1886 |
| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | None |
| Strike type | Proof |
| Mintage | 1,016 |
| 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 1886 Gold Dollar issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1886 Gold Dollar | 5,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1886 Gold Dollar Proof | 1,016 | Proof | – |
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.