Gold Dollar $1 (1849-1889)
Mint Location: Philadelphia, New Orleans, San Francisco, Dahlonega (GA), and Charlotte (NC)
Designer: James B. Longacre
Composition:90% silver; 10% copper
Weight: 1.672g
Edge Type: Reeded
There are 3 types of this coin. Type 1, Liberty Head (1849-1854), is the same obverse as the $20 Double Eagle. The obverse depicts a head of Liberty in the Greco-Roman style, facing left, with her
hair pulled back in a bun. She wears a coronet, inscribed “LIBERTY”, and is surrounded
by thirteen stars, the date is on the reverse. The reverse features the date and denomination within a wreath, with the inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around the edge.
The Type 2, Indian Princess, Small Head (1854-1856), and Type 3, Indian Princess, Large Head (1856-1889), depict Liberty as a Native American princess, with a fanciful feathered headdress. Longacre based the design on the Venus Accroupie or Crouching Venus, a sculpture then on display in a Philadelphia museum. The reverse features the date and denomination within a wreath, with the inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around the edge. The wreath is composed of cotton, corn, tobacco, and wheat, blending the produce of North and South.
Coin Values: Type 1 coins with the D and C mint mark are very rare. Type 2 had issues with light strikes and high grade coins are very rare, the 1855-D was low mintage. With Type 3 most years are available in high grades but 1856-D and 1861-D are very rare. A 1851-D XF45 Gold $1 (Type 1) sold $5650, a 1855-O AU53 Gold $1 (Type 2) sold for $1950, and a 1874 MS62 Gold $1 (Type 3) sold for $320.
1849 Gold$1 Liberty head (Type1)
1854 Gold$1 Indian head (Type2)
1856 Gold$1 Indian head (Type3)