1888 Large Head Indian Princess Gold Dollar

1888 Large Head Indian Princess Gold Dollar are scarce, pre-1933 U.S. gold coins that are collected by many hobbyists as a type coin. The gold dollar circulated widely in during the late 1840s, 1850s, and early 1860s, though fell out of use after the Civil War as mintages were restricted and other coins filled the void. By the 1880s, the gold dollar denomination was mainly purchased by individuals who gave the coins as holiday gifts.

1888 gold dollar coins were made only at the Philadelphia mint in business-strike and proof formats. Here is a look at the mintages and values of these classic gold coins:

• 1888, 15,501 minted; $433

• 1888 proof, 1,079; $5,000

*Values are for coins grading Extremely Fine-40, unless otherwise noted.

1888 gold dollars measure 15 millimeters in diameter, contain 0.04837 ounces, and have an overall weight of 1.672 grams. Certainly, these small gold pieces are among the most affordable of the pre-1933 U.S. gold coins, though they are, gram for gram, quite expensive due to their high numismatic premiums. Therefore, they may not make the best buy for gold investors who are trying to acquire the most amount of bullion for the least amount of money.

James B. Longacre designed the 1887 gold dollar. Longacre, who served as Chief Engraver of the United States Mint from 1844 through 1869, designed a multitude of popular coins during his tenure at the Mint. These coins include the Flying Eagle cent (struck during 1856-1858), Indian Head cent (1859-1909), two-cent piece (1864-1873), various silver and nickel three-cent coins (1851-1889), and the Shield nickel (1866-1883).