Mormon Gold (Utah) Regular Strikes (1849-1860)

About This Coin

Produced under the authority of Brigham Young and the leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mormon Gold regular strikes represent one of the most historically significant private coinage programs in American numismatics. The Salt Lake City mint, established in 1849, produced gold coins in $2.50, $5, $10, and $20 denominations using California gold brought to Utah by returning members of the Mormon Battalion and other prospectors. The distinctive designs feature the clasped hands of fellowship, the All-Seeing Eye of God, a beehive symbolizing industry, and the inscription HOLINESS TO THE LORD — imagery drawn from Mormon religious symbolism that makes these coins immediately identifiable. The gold content of Mormon coins was initially at or near federal standards, though later issues were found to contain less gold than their face value indicated, leading to controversy and reduced acceptance outside the Mormon community. Within the Mormon Gold (Utah) (1849-1860) series, the regular strikes represent the production coinage that actually circulated in Utah Territory commerce, distinguishing them from the patterns, die trials, and restrikes that served experimental or numismatic purposes. A notable auction result reached $840K in AU53 grade at Stack's Bowers, reflecting the extraordinary rarity and historical significance of these coins as artifacts of the Mormon community's self-governing enterprise in the American West.