1.    1787 Brasher Doubloons gold coin

In 1787, American silversmith and goldsmith, Ephraim Brasher petitioned to the New York State Assembly that he may be allowed to produce copper coins as there was often a limited mintage of coins during this time.

However, his request was not granted by the state. Because of such disapproval, Brasher went on with his producing items made of silver and gold including seven US gold coin patterns which are now more known as the 1787 Brasher Doubloon.

The Brasher Doubloon is believed to be the first gold coin minted in the US and is considered one of the most important coins in American numismatics.

2.    1849-C Open Wreath gold coin

As mentioned earlier, the gold dollar coinage was produced from 1849 to 1889.  The 1849-C Open Wreath is the rarest US gold dollar and the third rarest regular issue of Liberty Head gold coin of any denomination.

There are either four or five of this gold coin known to exist today, one was sold at a 2004 auction for $690,000.  Later, it was believed that the said coin was sold for nearly a million dollars.  Affectionately called the “King of Southern Gold Coins”, the 1849-C Open Wreath is truly one of the most valuable gold coins from America.

3.    1861-D gold dollar

This antique gold dollar is a famous gold coin for its significance to the history of United States currency.  The 1861-D gold coin is the only regular issue US coin which are minted by the Confederate States of America—the government set up from 1861 to 1865 by eleven southern slave states of the US. Each of these states had previously declared secession or withdrawal from the American government.

The 1861-D gold dollars were minted during the American Civil War when Confederate troops were ordered to take over the Dahlonega Mint.  However, the mint would not generate enough income to continually support the mint operations. The branch mint was decided to be closed down including other branches of coin mints in other places in the US. The 1861-D gold coins were the last coins minted in the Dahlonega Mint.

It is believed that 1,000 to 1,500 pieces of this coin were minted while others speculate there were about 2,350 to 3,250 pieces of the gold dollar produced. There are approximately 60-80 specimens believed to exist today but about 2 are in Mint State condition.  It is second to the 1849-C Open Wreath of being the rarest gold US dollar coin.

4.    1933 Saint-Gaudens gold dollar coin

The 1933 Saint-Gaudens is truly a historical numismatic piece. Once hailed as the Most Valuable Gold Coin in the world for being sold at almost $7.6 million in 2002, this rare gold coin is a numismatist’s treasure.

In 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt moved that American coinage be changed as he saw the then US currency as bland compared to the beauty of Greek coins.  For him, the coinage of a country is a symbol of its greatness. He ordered that American coins be a representation of prestige and power. So in 1907, gold double eagle coins were issued.

Not for long, in 1933, Franklin Roosevelt took off the gold standard from US coinage in the aim of stabilizing economy.  Gold coins had to be turned over to the government and had to be melted.  A few coins escaped melting.  Today, only one legitimate specimen of the 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle coin is known to exist and is now owned by a private coin collector.