Seated Liberty dollar

Seated Liberty dollar was a silver dollar coin minted by the United States Mint from 1840 to 1873. It was the last silver dollar struck before passage of the Coinage Act of 1873, which demonetized the standard silver dollar. The coin's design, by Chief Engraver Christian Gobrecht, featured an iconic seated figure of Liberty and was used on many denominations throughout the mid-19th century.

Design and specifications

The obverse features a full-length figure of Liberty seated upon a rock, inspired by contemporary British coinage like the Britannia design. She holds a Liberty pole topped with a Phrygian cap in her right hand, a symbol of freedom dating to the American Revolution, while her left hand steadies a Union shield inscribed with "LIBERTY." The reverse depicts a left-facing heraldic eagle with a shield upon its breast, clutching an Olive branch and three arrows, surrounded by the inscriptions "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and the denomination "ONE DOL." The coin's specifications adhered to the Coinage Act of 1837, with a standard weight of 412.5 grains (26.73 g) of 90% Silver and 10% Copper, measuring 38.1 mm in diameter. The edge of the coin is reeded, a feature carried over from earlier designs like the Draped Bust dollar.

History and production

Authorized by the Coinage Act of 1837, the Seated Liberty dollar replaced the short-lived Gobrecht dollar, which had served as a pattern coin. Regular production began at the Philadelphia Mint in 1840. The coin's issuance coincided with a period of intense debate over bimetallic monetary policy, pitting proponents of gold monometallism against the Free Silver movement. Major production occurred during the California Gold Rush, which flooded the market with gold and depressed the value of silver, and continued through the American Civil War, when hoarding caused all federal coinage to vanish from circulation. The final blow came with the Coinage Act of 1873, which officially discontinued the standard silver dollar, an act critics later denounced as the "Crime of 1873." Notable minting facilities besides Philadelphia included the New Orleans Mint, San Francisco Mint, and the Carson City Mint, established after the Comstock Lode discovery.

Varieties and mint marks

Several distinct varieties exist, primarily due to modifications to the obverse stars and reverse design. The original 1840 issue, known as the "No Motto" type, featured thirteen six-pointed stars around Liberty. In 1866, following the Civil War, the motto "In God We Trust" was added on a ribbon above the eagle on the reverse, creating the "With Motto" type. Another major variety is the "Arrows" modification, where arrowheads were placed beside the date in 1853 and again from 1873 to 1874 to indicate a slight reduction in weight, aligning with changes to smaller silver denominations. Mint marks for branch mints are found on the reverse below the eagle: "O" for the New Orleans Mint, "S" for the San Francisco Mint, and "CC" for the Carson City Mint. Coins struck at the Philadelphia Mint carry no mint mark. Key dates for collectors include the low-mintage 1851-O and 1852-O from New Orleans and the 1870-CC, the first dollar coin struck at the Carson City Mint.

Collecting and value

The Seated Liberty dollar is a popular series with numismatists due to its historical significance and variety of issues. Value is heavily influenced by condition, mint mark, and rarity, with prices ranging from a few hundred dollars for common dates in worn grades to tens of thousands for pristine examples of key issues. The 1870-CC is a major rarity, with only a few thousand believed minted, while the 1851-O and 1852-O are also highly sought-after due to their low survival rates. Coins in higher grades such as Mint State or with attractive toning command significant premiums. The series is cataloged in major references like the "Guide Book of United States Coins" (the "Red Book") and the "Comprehensive Catalog and Encyclopedia of United States Coins." Many specimens have been certified by professional grading services like the PCGS or NGC.

Category:1840 establishments in the United States Category:1873 disestablishments in the United States Category:Coins of the United States Category:Silver coins