1853 Dahlonega VF30 $5 Gold Countermarked

Sadly, countermarked with large L on reverse. I can not provide a better picture. What is it worth? I think I paid intrinsic.

 

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It's likely worth a lot more than melt -- if you find the right buyer.

My experience with a holed, love-tokened Charlotte gold dollar:

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/two-gold-birds-with-one-stone.295510/

 

I would have to agree with @-jeffB, Dahlonega and melt are never mentioned in the same breath, no matter the condition. I am afraid I have no idea of market value today, though I suspect you will get wildly different answers, which is common with problem coins.

 

Yeah definitely more than melt. I actually like the countermark, and you'll probably find a countermark collector who admires a Dahlonega countermark. This is the first one I've seen!

 

That’s a great piece and definitely worth more than melt to the right collector. Now if you can trace who the L counter mark is for it will increase the value even more.

 

L for Lucifer. Only the devil would punch a Dahlonega. I have searched one countermark reference with no luck. I hope someone out there has a clue or has seen other gold coins with the same mark.

 

But the L may be on other coins, not just gold.

 

Yes, it's worth more than melt, but the 1853-D half eagle is the most common date in the Dahlonega series.

Many of them were made from California gold. A lot of Dahlonega miners went to California and returned a few years later with some of their California gold.