1861 Gold $1 (1861 Gold Dollar or 1861 One Dollar Gold) NGC MS64 CAC. This mint state, Civil War dated 1861 Gold Dollar was made from clashed dies. Clash marks occur when two dies strike each other without a planchet between leaving the impression of one die on the other. Coins with heavily clashed dies are sought after by error coin specialists because they add interest and appeal to pieces that show them heavily. This coin also has shimmering bright luster and a full strike, which brings out all the details of both sides. The rather conservative grade of MS64 is confirmed by CAC.

The gold dollar uses the same Indian Princess design used by the three-dollar gold piece, which was also designed by James B. Longacre. The differences between the two are the size, the weight, and the denomination. The dollar has a diameter of 15 millimeters and weighs 1.672 grams and the three-dollar gold coins diameter is 20.5 millimeters, and it weighs 5.015 grams. During the Civil War years, one branch mint dollar coin was made at Dahlonega. No three-dollar coins were minted during the war at any branch mint. Also, while the dollar had war mintages that ranged from a high of 1,361,355 to a low of 1,250, the three-dollar coin had only low mintages from 5,959 to 1,140.

The appeal of the Large Head dollar coin is Longacres uncluttered design. Miss Liberty in Indian headdress faces left. Her long hair flows down her neck. She wears a stylized, feathered tiara and is surrounded by the required inscription. The reverse contains the denomination and date centered and surrounded by an open wreath of corn, cotton, wheat, and tobacco tied with a bow. Dentils are at the periphery of both sides.

In its population report, CAC shows 12 confirmed at MS64 with 8 better.