Dahlonega Mint
Encyclopedia
The Dahlonega Mint was a branch of the United States Mint. It was located at 34°31.8′N 83°59.2′W at Dahlonega, Lumpkin County, Georgia
. Coins produced at the Dahlonega Mint bear the "D" mint mark. That mint mark is used today by the Denver Mint
, which opened many years after the Dahlonega Mint closed. All coins from the Dahlonega Mint are gold and bear the dates 1838-1861.
and erected in 1837, in the mining town of Dahlonega, Georgia
, during the first North American gold rush
known as the Georgia Gold Rush
. The purpose of the Mint was to tap the newly discovered source of gold for coins and to provide a place for miners to have their gold assayed and sold.
broke out in 1861, the Dahlonega Mint was seized by the Confederates
. It is believed that after the Confederates took over the mint in 1861, that some gold dollars and half eagles were minted under the authority of the Confederate States Government. The exact number of 1861 D Gold dollars produced is unknown, while approximately 1,597 1861 D half eagles were struck. Because of their relatively low mintage, all Dahlonega-minted gold coins are rare. It is generally accepted that Gold coins estimated to exceed $6 million were minted
here.
in December 1878. A new building for the college was erected on the foundations of the old mint building. This building is now named Price Memorial Hall after William P. Price
the founder of the college and is still used by the college today.
Gold leaf from this area also covers the exterior of the domed roof over the rotunda
of the Georgia State Capitol
in Atlanta. Local media often refer to the state legislature
's activities as what's going on "under the gold dome". After the capitol building was gold leafed citizens of Dahlonega began a campaign to gold leaf Price Memorial Hall after the same fashion as the capitol.
For other United States Mint
facilities, see Historical United States Mints
.
Winter, Douglas "Gold Coins of the Dahlonega Mint" 1997. DWN Publishing
Lumpkin County, Georgia
Lumpkin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 29,966. Its county seat is Dahlonega.- History :...
. Coins produced at the Dahlonega Mint bear the "D" mint mark. That mint mark is used today by the Denver Mint
Denver Mint
The Denver Mint is a branch of the United States Mint that struck its first coins on February 1, 1906. The mint is still operating and producing coins for circulation, as well as mint sets and commemorative coins. Coins produced at the Denver Mint bear a D mint mark...
, which opened many years after the Dahlonega Mint closed. All coins from the Dahlonega Mint are gold and bear the dates 1838-1861.
Creation
The Dahlonega Mint was chartered by the United States CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
and erected in 1837, in the mining town of Dahlonega, Georgia
Dahlonega, Georgia
Dahlonega is a city in Lumpkin County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 5,242....
, during the first North American gold rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
known as the Georgia Gold Rush
Georgia Gold Rush
The Georgia Gold Rush was the second significant gold rush in the United States. It started in 1828 in the present day Lumpkin County near county seat Dahlonega, and soon spread through the North Georgia mountains, following the Georgia Gold Belt. By the early 1840s, gold became harder to find...
. The purpose of the Mint was to tap the newly discovered source of gold for coins and to provide a place for miners to have their gold assayed and sold.
Production
The first coins produced at the mint were gold $ 5.00 half eagles in April 1838. The mint produced coins every year from 1838 through 1861. Denominations produced included $ 1.00; $ 2.50 (quarter eagles); $ 3.00 (1854 only); and $ 5.00 (half eagles).The Civil War
When the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
broke out in 1861, the Dahlonega Mint was seized by the Confederates
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
. It is believed that after the Confederates took over the mint in 1861, that some gold dollars and half eagles were minted under the authority of the Confederate States Government. The exact number of 1861 D Gold dollars produced is unknown, while approximately 1,597 1861 D half eagles were struck. Because of their relatively low mintage, all Dahlonega-minted gold coins are rare. It is generally accepted that Gold coins estimated to exceed $6 million were minted
Mint (coin)
A mint is an industrial facility which manufactures coins for currency.The history of mints correlates closely with the history of coins. One difference is that the history of the mint is usually closely tied to the political situation of an era...
here.
Post Civil War
After the end of the Civil War, The United States Government decided against reopening the mint for its purposes. The building was unused until the founding of North Georgia College in 1873. The mint building was used as the main academic and administrative building for the college until a fire destroyed the original buildingHistory of North Georgia College and State University
North Georgia College and State University began as a branch of the Georgia College of Agriculture and Mechanical at the University of Georgia in 1873.-Early history :...
in December 1878. A new building for the college was erected on the foundations of the old mint building. This building is now named Price Memorial Hall after William P. Price
William P. Price
William Pierce Price was a politician that served in the U.S. Representative. Price was born in Dahlonega, Georgia.-Early life and education:...
the founder of the college and is still used by the college today.
Gold leaf from this area also covers the exterior of the domed roof over the rotunda
Rotunda (architecture)
A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, sometimes covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon in Rome is a famous rotunda. A Band Rotunda is a circular bandstand, usually with a dome...
of the Georgia State Capitol
Georgia State Capitol
The Georgia State Capitol, in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States, is an architecturally and historically significant building. It has been named a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the main office building of Georgia's government...
in Atlanta. Local media often refer to the state legislature
Georgia General Assembly
The Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is bicameral, being composed of the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate....
's activities as what's going on "under the gold dome". After the capitol building was gold leafed citizens of Dahlonega began a campaign to gold leaf Price Memorial Hall after the same fashion as the capitol.
For other United States Mint
United States Mint
The United States Mint primarily produces circulating coinage for the United States to conduct its trade and commerce. The Mint was created by Congress with the Coinage Act of 1792, and placed within the Department of State...
facilities, see Historical United States Mints
Historical United States mints
The following is a list of United States mints, past and present:Between 1965–1967 all coins were struck without mint marks, in the belief that a coin shortage was due to zealous coin collectors...
.
Gold dome
The gold dome of the Price Memorial building was completed in the early 1970's by a roofer named Doug Quinn, from Boston, Mass., who stayed at the local Cherokee Motel and Restaurant during construction.Source
Winter, Douglas "Gold Coins of the Dahlonega Mint" 1997. DWN Publishing