 James <unk> , in his final report as Mint Director in 1873 , advocated limiting striking of gold dollars to <unk> who specifically requested it . " The gold dollar is not a convenient coin , on account of its small size , and it suffers more <unk> from <unk> than larger coins . " His successors called for its abolition , with James P. Kimball , before he left office in 1889 , writing to Congress that except as jewelry , " little practical use has been found for this coin " . Later that year , the new director , Edward O. <unk> , issued a report stating that the gold dollar " is too small for circulation , and ... [ is ] used almost exclusively for the purposes of ornament . The last year in which the gold dollar was struck was 1889 . Congress abolished the gold dollar , along with the three @-@ cent nickel and three @-@ dollar piece , by the Act of September 26 , 1890 . 
