What was the Dahlonega Mint? 

The Dahlonega Mint was a branch of the United States Mint in Lumpkin County, Georgia that produced gold coins from 1838 until 1861. 

The U.S. Mint at Dahlonega was constructed amidst the Georgia Gold Rush to expedite miners getting their gold assayed and minted. Before the mint opened, miners faced the prospect of traveling all the way to Philadelphia for assay and minting.  

The Georgia Gold Rush 

The Georgia Gold Rush began in 1829 in Dahlonega and spread through the mountains of northern Georgia in that same year. The Georgia gold rush lasted until the early 1840s, when gold became increasingly difficult to find. This was the second U.S. gold rush after the North Carolina Gold Rush, which had ended in the early 1800s. 

The Mint Act of 1835 

The U.S. Mint at Dahlonega was established by the Mint Act of 1835, which passed on March 3 of that year. The Act followed the Coinage Act of 1834 and added three branches to the U.S. Mint.  

The order designated one branch in New Orleans for the coinage of gold and silver, one in Charlotte, and one in Dahlonega. The Mint locations in Charlotte and Dahlonega were established for the sole purpose of coining gold. 

Construction of the Dahlonega Mint 

The Mint at Dahlonega was built on a ten-acre plot of land purchased for $1,050, and architect Benjamin Towns was hired to construct the building within 18 months. In 1837, a coining press that would produce 50-60 gold coins per minute was installed, along with other minting machinery.  

Dr. Joseph Singleton was the first superintendent of the mint and opened the doors in February 1838. In its first week of operation, there were about one thousand ounces of gold deposited at the Dahlonega Mint and the first 80 $5 gold coins it produced were minted on April 17 of that same year. 

The Dahlonega Mint Mark 

Coins from the Dahlonega Mint bore a “D” mint mark and while this is the same mark used today by the U.S. Mint branch in Denver. While there is the possibility for some confusion, the Dahlonega Mint closed in 1861 and the Denver Mint opened in 1906.  

Coins From the Dahlonega Mint 

The Mint produced gold coins in $1, $2.50, and $5 denominations. For the single year of 1854, it produced $3 gold coins.  

While complete mintages are not available, the Dahlonega Mint produced more than 1 million gold coins with a value of more than $6 million in its short 24 years. Due to their limited availability, coins from the Dahlonega Mint are rare and command an exceptional premium when they can be found. 

The Dahlonega Mint and the Civil War 

When the American Civil War broke out in 1861, Confederates took control of the Mint in Dahlonega. It has been speculated that there were some gold dollars and Half Eagles produced by the Confederacy from the Dahlonega Mint building. The Confederate Congress voted to close the mint on June 1, 1861. 

After the Civil War ended, the U.S. government chose not to re-open the mint. The building was empty for 8 years until 1873, when North Georgia College opened. It functioned as the primary administrative and academic building for the school, but a fire destroyed the building just five years later in 1878. The building was reconstructed and named Price Memorial Hall after William P. Price, who founded North Georgia College. 

Quick Guides to Investing

Step 1:

Why Buy Physical Gold and Silver?

If you are concerned about the volatility of the stock market, you’re not alone. The extreme highs and lows of the stock market often lead investors towards safe-haven assets, like bullion. Historically, the Precious Metals market has an inverse relationship with the stock market, meaning that when stocks are up, bullion is down and vice versa.

Step 2:

How Much Gold and Silver Should You Have?

This question is one of the most important for investors to answer. After all, experts suggest limits on how much of any types of investments should go into a portfolio. After deciding to purchase and own Precious Metals and considering how much money to allocate, one can then think about how much and what to buy at any point in time.

Step 3:

Which Precious Metals Should I Buy?

With the frequent changes in the market and countless Precious Metal products available, choosing investments can be difficult. Some want Gold or Silver coins, rounds or bars while others want products that are valuable because of their design, mintage or other collectible qualities. Also, collectors may shop for unique sets and individual pieces for their collections.

Step 4:

When to Buy Gold & Silver

After considering why, how much, and what Precious Metals products to buy, an investor’s next step is when to buy them. This decision requires an understanding of market trends and the impact of economic factors on precious metal prices.

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