It was January 24, 1848. At Sutter’s Mill in California, James Marshall was doing his daily inspection for the sawmill he was building. He found shining flecks of metal amid loose dirt and gravel after he diverted water to clean up the construction site. Marshall showed it to his crew and everyone was fairly certain it was gold. However, Marshall unaware of the significance of his discovery was focused on completing the sawmill on schedule.

Marshall had no idea what his discovery was about to unleash.

Today, historians consider the California gold rush to be one of the most significant events of the first half of the 19th century. Marshall’s discovery of gold triggered the largest migration in United States history as over 300,000 flocked to the California territory in search of riches and wealth.

These were exciting and rough and tumble times in the California territory. While miners pulled gold nuggets out of rivers and the ground, the raw gold was not effective as a medium of exchange. And, there was no way to turn that into coins in the west at that time. The first California branch of the U.S. Mint didn’t open until 1854.

The fortune hunters who flocked to the California territory desperately needed coins to pay for everyday goods and services. At that time, people used pinches of gold dust to pay for merchandise and services. However, this method lacked uniformity and an extra big pinch from a merchant could be costly.

There were proposals to use paper currency to ease the coin shortage. But, the people who had journeyed to the West had a deep distrust of paper money. They wanted gold coins. Indeed, Article IV section 34 of the 1849 California Constitution outlawed the right for any bank to “make, issue, or put in circulation, any bill, check, ticket, certificate, promissory note, or other paper, or the paper of any bank, to circulate as money.” Simply put, the people wanted hard currency.

So, entrepreneurs of the day seized the opportunity and opened private mints. Private gold was circulated out of necessity in the rural West due to the coin shortages.

The First Private Gold Mint in California

At that time, in New York City, a firm called Norris, Gregg & Norris specialized in manufacturing items like metal pipes, fittings, and boilers that were used in plumbing and steam-heating of buildings. Following the 1848 discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill, the enterprising partners— Thomas H. Norris, Hiram A. Norris, and Charles Gregg—relocated to California and formed a private mint.

In the spring of 1849 Norris, Gregg & Norris began minting the first private gold ever in the region, including several varieties of $5 gold pieces with both plain and reeded edges.

It made the local news. The Alta California newspaper reported: “We have in our possession a Five Dollar gold coin, struck at Benicia City, although the imprint is San Francisco. In general appearance it resembles the United States coin of the same value.”

Moffat & Co. Was Known for Meticulous Production of Its Gold Coins

In 1850, California became the 31st state to join the Union in September and at that time private minting was legal. Not only was the private issuance of money was common – indeed it was essential.

Moffat & Co. was founded by New York metallurgist John Little Moffat. His firm developed an assay office, which was semi-official in appearance and character, despite having no official connection to the United States government.

Moffat used U.S. American gold coins as a model for some of his coins. He employed Albrecht Kuner, a skilled Bavarian to create the dies for the five and ten dollar pieces. The dies were every bit as elaborate as official government coins. On the coronet of Liberty, the words Moffat & Co. replace the word LIBERTY, which was seen on official United States government coins.

Many of Moffat’s coins, including the 1850 $5 Gold Moffat coin are enduring pieces of numismatic history. Moffat & Co. was the considered most reputable and influential private gold minter of the California Gold Rush period.

Moffat $5 coins were heavily used in the gold camps. Later, many were melted down for the gold content. Today an 1850 $5 Gold Moffat in mint condition is considered very rare and a highly coveted prize for collectors.

Once the federal government decided to open a mint in California it leaned heavily on Moffat for guidance, support and advice. In fact, the successors of the firm eventually sold their minting facility to the U.S. Treasury department.

Eight-Sided Humbert Gold Piece Represents the Best of Gold Rush History

The significance of the 1851 Humbert $50 coin can hardly be exaggerated. This iconic eight-sided gold piece represents the best of the legendary California Gold Rush period.

The hugely popular $50 “slug” was designed by Augustus Humbert, a New York watchmaker. Humbert developed the obverse and reverse dies for his proposed $50 ingots and transported them across the country to California along with other necessary equipment. In 1851, he joined up with Moffat & Co. to produce these remarkable coins under government contract as the United States Assay Office of Gold.

The survival rate of the Humbert fifties is low, especially in a high grade. Once the U.S. Mint finally opened in California, many of these gold pieces ended up in the melting pots due to their high intrinsic value.

The Humbert $50 ingot’s memorable octagonal design features an eagle with a U.S. shield and three arrows in the right talon on the reverse. A scroll inscribed LIBERTY sits in the beak and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and FIFTY DOLLS surrounds the eagle. Around the edge it reads AUGUSTUS HUMBERT UNITED STATES ASSAYER OF GOLD CALIFORNIA 1851. A unique “Target” pattern fills the reverse.

Wass and Molitor Gold Pieces

Samuel C. Wass and Agoston P. Molitor, Hungarian immigrants who had studied metallurgy in Germany, saw the private minting opportunity and they jumped on it. The team opened an assay office on Montgomery Street in San Francisco in October, 1851. It didn’t take long before the hardworking pair developed an extensive smelting operation and assay laboratory that was publicly lauded in the local newspapers for its modernity.

In 1852, Wass, Molitor & Co opened for business and began minting ore into small denominations like $5 and $10 gold pieces. The public quickly embraced Wass and Molitor’s coinage. Their coins were considered good quality and miners who brought in nuggets and gold dust received fast service – their ore was turned into coins within 48 hours! Eventually, their gold pieces demanded a premium in circulation and were eagerly accepted in trade.

By 1855 Wass and Molitor began coining $20 and $50 gold pieces. The 1855 $50 Wass and Molitor gold piece is the largest coin their firm it had ever made – indeed a weighty, round $50 gold coin. The round $50 gold pieces remained popular and widely circulated until the San Francisco Mint began striking federal coins in a consistent fashion. By the end of 1855, the private coin firms were no longer needed and Wass, Molitor & Co. shut down.

Due to their hefty gold content, many of Wass Molitor coins were melted by the San Francisco branch mint to turn into federal coinage, which makes survivors especially in high grades extremely rare.

The End of an Era

The San Francisco Mint began operations in 1854. This stopped private gold coinage and marked the end of an extraordinary era for California territorial gold. The surviving private gold coins are bursting with history of a dramatic and exciting era in Western gold rush history.

Today, these highly sought after large Territorial coins are hard to come by and it can be decades before high quality specimens surface. Once these legendary and iconic coins change hands, collectors tend to hold onto them for years or even a lifetime. Wouldn’t you?

Sacagawea, an iconic figure from the Lewis and Clark Expedition, holds a prominent place in American history and numismatics. Since her image first appeared on U.S. coinage in 2000, Sacagawea dollars have been widely distributed, but not all are created equal. Some stand out as exceptionally rare and highly sought-after by collectors. This piece will answer the question “How do you know if you have a rare Sacagawea coin?” and uncover:

• A step-by-step guide to identifying rare Sacagawea coins
• The most sought-after Sacagawea coin variations
• Where to buy rare Sacagawea coins online

Watch this captivating video to dive deeper into Sacagawea’s remarkable story:

Sacagawea, The True Story – The Lemhi Shoshone Guide of the Lewis and Clark Expedition

How to tell if a Sacagawea coin is rare?

Determining if a Sacagawea coin is rare involves careful inspection of its unique features, production errors, and historical variations. Rare Sacagawea coin value can be significant, as these coins honor Sacagawea’s pivotal role in guiding the Lewis and Clark Expedition, a defining moment in U.S. history.

Coins can gain value due to their scarcity, specific minting anomalies, or limited-edition designs. These are the key steps to identifying rare specimens, ensuring you know what to look for in your collection.

1. Inspect for errors to spot a rare Sacagawea dollar coin

Minting errors often create the most valuable pieces in numismatics. What makes the Sacagawea coin rare often comes down to these distinctive production flaws that escaped quality control.

Start by using a magnifying glass under bright, natural light to examine every detail of your coin. Common valuable errors in Sacagawea dollars include doubled dies, where design elements appear duplicated; off-center strikes, where the image isn’t perfectly centered; and missing edge lettering.

Pay particular attention to Sacagawea’s face and the eagle on the reverse – these detailed areas often reveal the most notable errors. Specific areas to examine include feather details in Sacagawea’s hair, the baby’s features, and the flowing design elements.

2. Analyze the finish to find a rare Sacagawea coin

One of the answers to the question “What to look for in a rare Sacagawea coin?” is surface quality. The U.S. Mint issued several distinct finishes, with proof and satin finishes being less common than the standard circulation finish. Proof coins are known for their mirror-like fields and frosted design elements, while satin finishes offer a soft, smooth appearance. These collector-grade versions are rarer than business strikes, making them more valuable.

Examine the coin’s luster, which should have a consistent golden sheen without discoloration or spotting. Contact marks, especially on high-relief areas like Sacagawea’s cheek or the eagle’s wings, can reduce value. A coin with its original mint luster intact is much more desirable.

3. Check mintage numbers for a valuable rare Sacagawea coin

While many collectors focus on finding a rare 1-dollar coin Sacagawea is on, true rarity often lies in a specific year. Some years saw significantly lower mintage numbers, making those coins harder to find and more valuable.

Start by checking the mint mark to identify the coin’s production location and year. Certain years were only issued in special mint or proof sets, never making it into regular circulation. Also, coins minted at the Philadelphia (P) or Denver (D) facilities can have large differences in availability. Keeping a mintage guide is helpful, as it reveals patterns of scarcity.

4. Identify special editions of your Sacagawea rare coin

Special editions and commemorative versions of coins often carry premium value. For example, what makes the 2000 Sacagawea coin rare often relates to specific variants produced that year. One significant variety is the 2000-P Cheerios dollars, included in specially marked cereal boxes as a promotion. These early strikes show subtle die differences in the tail feathers of the eagle, distinguishing them from regular issues.

Beyond the 2000 releases, look for burnished versions, enhanced uncirculated specimens, and proof strikes. Some years featured signature sets including coins with special mint marks or distinctive packaging.

5. Examine the edge for Sacagawea dollar coin rare traits

Another answer to “How rare are Sacagawea coins in my collection?” lies in the coins’ edges. The standard edge should display a distinctive golden color with reeded patterns running perpendicular to the coin’s face.

While most Sacagawea dollars feature standard reeding, certain errors resulted in missing or doubled edge details. Look for signs of incomplete reeding, unusual spacing, or missing sections. These can indicate valuable strike errors.

Use a magnifying glass to examine the edge under strong light, rotating the coin slowly to catch any irregularities. The metal composition should appear uniform. Any separation or peeling could indicate a rare plating variation.

The Sacagawea coin: Rare exemplars

First minted in 2000, the Sacagawea dollar has become a significant part of U.S. numismatic history. While many Sacagawea dollars are common, a select few stand out due to their rarity, errors, or special design features, making them highly sought-after by collectors. Below are five rare examples that highlight the fascinating variations in this coin series.

1. A rare Sacagawea coin (2000 P) with a special status

When it comes to rare Sacagawea coins selling for $5,000 or more, the 2000-P Sacagawea Goodacre Presentation dollar must be mentioned. A unique special-strike coin designed by Glenna Goodacre, this coin was part of a limited mintage given to the artist as payment for her design work.

These coins feature an unburnished finish and were struck with great care, distinguishing them from regular circulation strikes. Only 5,000 of these coins were minted, and they remain highly sought-after due to their pristine condition and connection to the artist.

Sacagawea Goodacre Presentation Dollar

• Metal: Copper
• Year: 2000

Photo by PCGS

2. One of the rarest Sacagawea dollar coin specimens

The 2000 Sacagawea Dollar/Washington quarter mule is a remarkable error coin that features the obverse of the Sacagawea dollar and the reverse of a Washington quarter. Only a few of these specimens exist, making it one of the rarest modern U.S. coins. This error likely resulted from a die mix-up at the Mint, and the unusual combination makes it a standout among numismatic collectors.

With significant rare Sacagawea dollar coin value, this coin, like other rare Sacagawea coins with errors, can be highly desirable to collectors. Some of these coins have fetched impressive sums at auction.

Sacagawea Dollar/Washington Quarter Mule

• Metal: Copper
• Year: 2000

Photo by CoinWeek

3. A rare 2000-P Sacagawea dollar coin with an error

The 2000-P Sacagawea dollar struck on an Anthony dollar planchet is a rare and fascinating error. This unique coin features the Sacagawea dollar design but with the size and metal composition of the earlier Susan B. Anthony dollar. The mix-up during production resulted in an interesting and highly collectible piece. Errors like this one, just like a rare no-date Sacagawea coin with errors, are highly prized for their rarity and distinctiveness.

Sacagawea Dollar on an Anthony Dollar Planchet

• Metal: Copper
• Year: 2000

Photo by Heritage Auctions

4. An exceptionally rare 2000 D Sacagawea one-dollar coin

The rare Sacagawea coin (2000-D)/South Carolina quarter mule is another stunning error coin. Similar to the Washington quarter mule, this error blends the obverse of the Sacagawea dollar with the reverse of the South Carolina state quarter. Only a single example of this mule error has been discovered, adding to its allure and making it a one-of-a-kind piece in the numismatic world.

Sacagawea Dollar/South Carolina Quarter Mule

• Metal: Copper
• Year: 2000

Photo by PCGS

5. The rare Cheerios Sacagawea dollar coin

The Cheerios rare Sacagawea coin, distributed as part of a promotional campaign in 2000, is a standout due to its enhanced detail on the eagle’s tail feathers, which differs from the regular design. Only 5,500 of these coins were included in the Cheerios boxes, and many have been lost. Today, high-grade examples can command significant premiums.

Sacagawea “Cheerios” Dollar

• Metal: Copper
• Year: 2000

Photo by PCGS

To browse through more rare dollar coins (Sacagawea or assorted) and other valuable rare specimens, click here.

FAQ about rare Sacagawea dollar coins

Sacagawea coins are commonly circulated and not typically considered rare, which makes it easy to overlook their potential value. Certain variations, however, are highly sought-after by collectors. Identifying these can unlock opportunities for finding valuable specimens that stand out from the rest, making the pursuit of rare Sacagawea coins both exciting and rewarding.

Whether you’re evaluating a coin for its rarity or considering adding it to your collection, expertise and professional guidance are key. Blanchard is an excellent resource for navigating the complexities of rare coin collecting, offering the best selection of high-value, rare coins on the market. If you’re curious about Sacagawea rare coin value or need further assistance with expanding your numismatic portfolio, don’t hesitate to contact Blanchard at any time.

Are Sacagawea coins rare?

Most Sacagawea dollars aren’t rare, but certain varieties, errors, and special editions can be valuable collector’s items.

What makes a Sacagawea $1 coin so rare?

Minting errors, special finishes, and strikes are some of the factors contributing to certain Sacagawea dollars’ rarity.

What is rare about the 2000 P Sacagawea coin?

The 2000-P features multiple valuable varieties, including the Goodacre Presentation coins, the sought-after “Wounded Eagle” variety with its distinctive chest feather pattern, and the remarkable Quarter Mule error.

What makes 2000 D Sacagawea coin rare?

The 2000-D Sacagawea coin is rare primarily because of its production error. This occurred when a Sacagawea dollar was mistakenly struck with the reverse design of a South Carolina quarter. The result is an extremely rare and valuable coin due to the unusual combination of designs.

What is the rarest Sacagawea coin?

One of the rarest Sacagawea coins is the 2000-P Cheerios dollar which was part of a limited edition of 5,500 Sacagawea dollars placed in Cheerios cereal boxes as a marketing promotion.

How can I tell if my Sacagawea coin is rare?

To determine if your Sacagawea coin is rare, check for minting errors, special finishes, unique die variations, and research mintage numbers.

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