1868 PROOF GEM PF++ Seated Liberty Dollar

Seated Liberty Dollar (1840-73)

Seated Liberty Dollar (1840-73).
The Seated Liberty Dollar is a silver dollar coin issued by the United States government from 1840 to 1873. The coin is named for the obverse design which was uniform and matched the Half dime, Dime, Twenty-cent piece, Quarter, and Half dollar. Its obverse and reverse were both designed by Christian Gobrecht.

Seated Liberty Dollars were introduced in 1840 and were minted in larger quantities than the sparsely minted Gobrecht Dollar that preceded it. The dollars were used in general circulation until 1853. In 1853, the value of the silver was more than the face value of the coin. The coin was continued to be minted mainly as a trade coin to be used in the Orient. This ended in 1870 when the price of silver lowered allowing the dollars to be placed back in normal circulation.

This series boasts some spectacular rarities. Of this series, the most valuable coin is the 1870-S, with 12-15 known. However, the rarest of the series is a single known 1851-O, a coin struck under unknown and mysterious circumstances. It is not listed in the Guidebook of United States Coins, and is also unlisted in Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of US and Colonial Coins. Its value likely far exceeds that of the 1870-S, but as it has not been offered for sale publicly, nor any private sale confirmed, its value at this time is unknown.

Also quite rare are the issues of 1851, 1852, 1858 (which was a proof-only restrike in the 1860's-1870's), 1871-CC, 1872-CC, and 1873-CC, all with only 50-500 pieces of each known to exist.

The 1866 No Motto piece is correctly described as a fantasy piece, created in the 1870's along with the No Motto quarter and half dollar, for a favorite Mint customer. There are 2 known, and they are classified as patterns, and not regular issues nor restrikes.

1871 $1 PCGS PR63CAM Proof Cameo Seated Liberty Dollar, 1866 MOTTO NGC PR64 LIBERTY SEATED DOLLARS, 1870 PROOF SOLID GEM PF++ Seated Liberty Dollar, 1872 PROOF SUPERB GEM PF Seated Liberty Dollar, 1863 GEM PROOF SEATED LIBERTY SILVER DOLLAR, 1868 PROOF GEM PF++ Seated Liberty Dollar, 1872-S PCGS VF25 Seated Liberty Dollar, 1860-O PCGS MS61 Seated Liberty Dollar, 1846 HIGH GRADE LIBERTY SEATED SILVER DOLLAR.