The huge discoveries of gold in California in 1848 and then Australia shortly afterward drove down the price of this metal in relation to silver, for which there had as yet been any significant finds in the United States. The result was that a silver dollar soon became worth several cents more than a gold dollar, and this same condition applied proportionately to the fractional silver coins. No longer able to circulate at par, the silver pieces were either hoarded or sent overseas to be melted for their bullion value. Some found their ways to Canada and Latin America, where the scarcity of circulating coin trumped the modest discrepancy in market values. Congress debated this crisis for several years, finally deciding to maintain the .900 fineness of the silver coins while reducing their weight about seven per cent. This was enough to make them worth slightly less than an equivalent face value in gold coins. To maintain the illusion of a dual standard, the silver dollar alone was left at its old weight, dooming it to become invisible in domestic commerce for years afterward. To distinguish the new issue of fractional silver coins the Mint added opposed arrowheads at either side of the date. The quarter dollar and half dollar were further marked with a glory of rays around the eagle. Since these two features are found placed exactly on each and every coin, it is evident that the Mint created a new master die for both sides. This spared the Engraving Department having to hand punch the additional features into each working die. The urgency of replacing the earlier series of half dollars in circulation prompted huge mintages of the "Arrows" coinage, and this issue is very common across all grades. Mint State pieces are reasonably available, yet gems are not often seen. The only varieties known are minor doubled-die reverses, but clashed dies are quite common. The 1853 Arrows half dollar is found with either 144 or 145 reeds.