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1911-D US $5 Indian Head PCGS AU58 [166186]

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins - Mint Sets Start Price:2,000.00 USD Estimated At:4,000.00 - 7,000.00 USD
1911-D US $5 Indian Head PCGS AU58 [166186]
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1911-D US$5 Indian Head gold coin, PCGS AU58. Mintage 72,500. This is the second rarest of the series, with only the 1909-O more rare with a mintage of 34,200. The 1911-D quarter eagle is the rarest of that series, and the 1911-D Eagle is the rarest of that series, but not so for the 1911-D $20. Sculptor Bela Lyon Pratt, known for his sculptural personifications of Art and Science on the Library of Congress, was commissioned to design both sides of this $5 gold piece. One of Pratt's sculptor assistants was Henri Weil who, with his brother Felix Weil, founded the Medallic Art Company in 1910.
The 1911 series from Denver deserves special mention. Virtually each of the gold coin denominations from Denver that year are exceedingly rare except the $20. At the time, the US Mint system was undergoing a serious financial review. With all mints in full production in 1909, it was discovered that some Branch Mints were not operating economically, and this was concurrent with a cultural change in the change in use of specific denominations of gold coins. In short, the $20 became the gold coin of choice, and the lower denominations were moving into a realm of uselessness. The first move at reduction came with legislation on March 2, 1911 (expected much earlier) in which the Government issued gold certificates directly against gold bullion and foreign gold coin, "provided that the amount of such bullion in the reserve fund should not at any time exceed one third of the amount of gold certificates outstanding. This legislation will, effect an important reduction in the volume of gold coinage (produced.)" [pp7-8 Report of the US Director of the Mint for 1911.]
Meanwhile, the labor report on Mint costs was out, and the Denver Mint reduced their staff from 184 employees in 1909 to 100 in 1911.
With this bad news came the news from the Director: "The gold quarter eagle is a coin for which there is no demand for in business uses. There is a call for them each year, about the holiday season for gift purposes, and during the remainder of the year they drift back to the Treasury." The Director recommended complete discontinuation of the series.

So now you know- The Denver Mint was under fire for labor overages amid a cultural change where the public use of smaller denomination gold coins was diminished. The 1911 Denver issues thus become the great collectible coins of the period.

Date: 1911-D
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