EXHIBIT 5.1

                          [WILLIAM F. BOYD LETTERHEAD]


August 5, 2004

COEUR D'ALENE MINES HOLDINGS COMPANY
400 Coeur d'Alene Mines Building
505 Front Avenue
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho 83814

        Re: Coeur d'Alene Mines Holdings Company

Ladies and Gentlemen:

        As counsel for Coeur d'Alene Mines Holdings Company, an Idaho
corporation (the "Company"), I am familiar with the Company's (i) the offer to
purchase all outstanding common shares of Wheaton River Minerals Ltd. (the
"Offer to Purchase"), filed as part of the registration statement on Form S-4
(File No. 333-117325), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") on July 13, 2004, as amended (the "Registration Statement"), with
respect to the registration of up to 611,978,187 shares (the "Shares") of the
Company's common stock, par value $1.00 per share (the "Common Stock"); (ii)
the related tender offer documents, including the letter of transmittal (the
"Letter of Transmittal" which together with the Offer to Purchase, as each may
be amended or supplemented from time to time, collectively constitute the
"Offer") filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Schedule TO on July 13,
2004 (the "Tender Offer Documents") in connection with the Offer to Purchase;
the Company's proxy statement an Schedule 14A filed July 19, 2004 and the proxy
statement/prospectus on Form S-4, which will be filed with the Commission, as
amended to date (the "Proxy Statement/Prospectus"), relating to approval of the
Coeur holding company reorganization (as defined in the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus) and the issuance of shares of the Company's common stock
in connection with the Coeur holding company reorganization, the Offer to
Purchase, and related




Coeur d'Alene Mines Holdings Company
August 5, 2004
Page 2

transactions contemplated by the offer to Purchase and the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus.

        For the purposes of the opinions set forth below, I have examined and
am familiar with the proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the
Offer and the issuance of the Shares. I have also made such other factual and
legal inquiries and examinations as I deemed necessary and appropriate under
the circumstances. In arriving at the following opinions, I have relied, among
other things, upon my examination of such corporate records of the Company and
certificates of officers of the Company and of public officials and such other
documents as I have deemed appropriate. In such examination, I have assumed the
genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to me
as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to
me as certified or photostatic copies and the authenticity of the originals of
such copies. With respect to agreements and instruments executed by natural
persons, I have assumed the legal competency of such persons.

        Based upon the foregoing examination and in reliance thereon, I am of
the opinion that, assuming the approval of the Coeur holding company
reorganization by the shareholders of Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation and the
approval of the issuance of the Shares as set forth in the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus by the shareholders of Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation (who
are the prospective shareholders of the Company) and the shareholders of the
Company, the Shares, upon issuance in exchange for Wheaton common shares
deposited pursuant to the Offer or in exchange for shares of Coeur d'Alene Mines
Corporation in the Coeur holding company reorganization, will be validly issued.

        I render no opinion herein as to matters involving the laws of any
jurisdiction other than the United States of America and the General Corporation
Law of the State of Idaho. This opinion is limited to the effect of the present
state of the laws of the United States of America and the State of Idaho and
the facts as they presently exist. I assume no obligation to revise or
supplement this opinion in the event of future changes in such laws or the
interpretations thereof or in such facts.




Coeur d'Alene Mines Holdings Company
August 5, 2004
Page 3

        I consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement, and I further consent to the use of my name under the
caption "Legal Matters" in the Registration Statement and in the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus. In giving these consents, I do not thereby admit that I am
within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the
Act or the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission under the Act.

                                        Very truly yours,

                                        /s/ WILLIAM F. BOYD
                                        William F. Boyd


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