1860-S Gold $1 PCGS MS-63 CAC – Lustrous and completely original, this coin is one of only 13,000 gold dollars struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1860. Most of these went into circulation, making truly uncirculated pieces such as this piece very scarce. Current population at PCGS is only 6 graded in MS-63 (a number that possibly includes several resubmissions), with just 3 pieces finer.

Gold dollars are an often overlooked series among the gold denominations. Struck in three different types, this is an example of the type three, which remained in use until the end of the series in 1889. The San Francisco Mint however, ceased coinage of this small denomination after this year, as they were hardly found in circulation. In 1870, when the 2nd San Francisco Mint opened, another 3,000 pieces were struck, presumably as souvenirs.

The San Francisco gold dollars make for an excellent subset of these tiny gold coins. Produced in 1854, 1856 to 1861 and 1870, the set consists of just seven coins, all three types and no real key-dates. As a result, a completed set makes for a very nice display of coins struck in the last years of the California gold rush, and afterwards.

Frosty with reddish toning, the present coin is a choice survivor of the small mintage. Totally mark-free surfaces, only a small pin scratch on the obverse field is the grade limiting factor. Boldly struck, only some slight weakness shows on Liberty’s hair on the obverse and the wreath on the reverse, a common diagnostic found with most gold dollars. This gold dollar is destined to be included in a high quality San Francisco gold type set or gold dollar set.