 Since gold did not circulate in the United States ( except on the West Coast ) in the postwar period , much of the production of coins of that metal in the United States was double eagles for export . Accordingly , although 1 @,@ 361 @,@ 355 gold dollars were struck in 1862 — the last time production would exceed a million — the mintage fell to 6 @,@ 200 in 1863 and remained low for the rest of the coin 's existence , excepting 1873 and 1874 . The Mint felt it improper to suspend coinage of a coin authorized by Congress , and issued proof coins ( generally a few dozen to the tiny numismatic community ) from specially @-@ polished dies , also producing enough circulation strikes so that the proof coins would not be unduly rare . In 1873 and 1874 , old and worn gold dollars held by the government were melted and recoined , generating large mintages of that denomination . This was done in anticipation of the resumption of specie payments , which did not occur until the end of 1878 . Once specie again circulated at face value , the gold dollar found no place in commerce amid large quantities of silver coinage , either released from hoarding or newly struck by the Mint . The government expected that the resumption of specie payments would cause the dollar and other small gold coins to circulate again , but the public , allowed to redeem paper currency , continued to use it as more convenient than coins . 
 Since gold did not circulate in the United States ( except on the West Coast ) in the postwar period , much of the production of coins of that metal in the United States was double eagles for export . Accordingly , although 1 @,@ 361 @,@ 355 gold dollars <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> struck in 1862 — the last time production would exceed a million — the mintage<a href='been_done' title='2'><mark></mark></a> fell to 6 @,@ 200 in 1863 and remained low for the rest of the coin <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>existence , excepting 1873 and 1874 . The Mint felt it improper to suspend coinage of a coin authorized by Congress , and issued proof coins ( generally a few dozen to the tiny numismatic community ) from specially @-@ polished dies , also producing enough circulation strikes so that the proof coins would <a href='negative_concord' title='4'><mark>not</mark></a><a href='negative_concord' title='5'><mark>be</mark></a> unduly rare . In 1873 and 1874 , old and worn gold dollars held by the government <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>were</mark></a> melted and recoined , generating large mintages of that denomination . This was done in anticipation of the resumption of specie payments , which did not occur until <a href='None' title='7'><mark>the</mark></a><a href='negative_concord' title='8'><mark>end</mark></a> of 1878 . Once specie again circulated at face value , the gold dollar found no place in commerce amid large quantities of silver coinage , either released from hoarding or newly struck by the Mint . The government expected that the resumption of specie payments would cause the dollar and other small gold coins to circulate again , but the public , allowed to redeem paper currency , continued to use it as more convenient than coins . 
Since gold did not circulate in the United States ( except on the West Coast ) in the postwar period , much of da production of coins of that metal in the United States was double eagles for export . Accordingly , although 1 @,@ 361 @,@ 355 gold dollars was struck in 1862 — the last time production would exceed a million — tdamintage done fell to 6 @,@ 200 in 1863 and remained low for thdaest of thedain  existence , excepting 1873 and 1874 . The dat felt it improper to suspend coinage of a coin authorized by Congress , and issued proof coins ( generally a few dozen to the tiny numismatic community ) from specially @-@ polished dies , also producing enough circulation strikes so that the pdaf coins would ain't unduly rare . In 1873 and 1874 , old and worn gold dollars held by the godanment was melted and recoined , generating bigass mintages of dat denomination . dis was done in anticipation of the resdation of specie payments , which did not occur until no end of 1878 . Once specie again circulated at face value , the golddallar found no place in commerce amid large quantities of silver coinage , either released from hoarding or newly struck by the Mint dahe governdat expected tdatthe resumption of specie payments would cus the dollar and other small gold coins to circulate again , but the public , allowed to redeem paper currency , continued to use it as more convenient than coins .