1844-D $5 (1844-D Half Eagle) NGC XF45. A sharp strike and clean surfaces for the grade characterize this Southern branch mint 1844-D Half Eagle. On the obverse all of the stars show significant detail. The same is true for the reverses devices especially the feathers, arrowheads, leaves, and shield. The coin clearly meets the requirements for the grade assigned. The hair down Libertys neck shows details and the lower three-quarters of the coronet are sharp. The surfaces show no significant marks worthy of individual mention.

The discovery of gold on Cherokee land in Georgia caused a large group of miners to come to the frontier town of Auraria, which is now Lumpkin County, Georgia. Its name derives from aurum, the Latin word for gold. Soon Dahlonega, which meant yellow money in Cherokee, would become the county seat. The miners need to convert oar and dust into bullion led to the establishment of private coiners, including the Bechtlers and Templeton Reid; however, because of a lack of standardization, there was pressure for a federal coinage to be created. The federal branch mint at Dahlonega was established to meet this need.

A building was erected in the town of Dahlonega. Power for its coining equipment came from steam produced in a boiler in the basement. Two small steam driven presses were on the first floor just above the boiler room. They could produce one coin per second. Because of the small size of the presses, the largest coins produced were half eagles.