Mormon Patterns, Die Trials & Restrikes (1849-1860)

About This Coin

Encompassing the experimental and non-circulation pieces from the Latter-day Saints' private coinage program in Utah Territory, Mormon Patterns, Die Trials & Restrikes document the developmental process behind one of America's most historically significant private minting operations. Under the direction of Brigham Young, the Mormon community established a mint in Salt Lake City to produce gold coins from California gold dust brought by returning members of the Mormon Battalion and other prospectors. The patterns and die trials in this category represent the Mint's experimentation with designs, denominations, and striking techniques — pieces that never entered general circulation but preserve evidence of the decision-making process that shaped the final production coinage. Restrikes, produced from original dies at later dates (often for collectors or as souvenirs), provide additional complexity in distinguishing between original and subsequent strikings. The designs feature distinctive Mormon imagery including the clasped hands of fellowship, the All-Seeing Eye, and the beehive symbolizing industry — motifs drawn from the community's religious and social identity. Within the Mormon Gold (Utah) (1849-1860) series, the patterns, die trials, and restrikes occupy the most specialized collecting tier, attracting numismatists who combine an interest in die variety analysis with the broader historical narrative of Mormon settlement and self-governance in the American West.