1859
Gold Dollar - The 1859 Gold Dollar was poorly struck
with central weakness and die clashing being commonplace.
Higher grade Mint State examples are rare. NGC has 9 in
MS66 and above. PCGS has 12 in MS66 and higher with one
MS68+ specimen.
In 1859 John Brown led a group of 16 men
on a raid on Harper’s Ferry. Brown was an abolitionist
who advocated armed insurrection as a way to abolish slavery.
Harper’s Ferry was a U.S. arsenal in Virginia. A detachment
of U.S. Marines led by Col. Robert E. Lee defeated him.
Brown thought that by capturing the arsenal he would be
able to arm rebellious slaves and begin an uprising in Virginia.
