1855 Liberty Seated Dollar : A Collector’s Guide

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
 

The Philadelphia Mint used one die pair to strike 26,000 1855 Liberty Seated Dollars. Coinage for the denomination commenced on May 4 and concluded on June 25, the total mintage being produced over four calendar days as seen in the table below.

The Gold Dollar mintage was considerably higher (789,953), as was that of the reduced weight half dollar (2,982,000). The disparity in mintages for these three denominations is typical for the decade. From a collector’s standpoint, half dollars and gold dollars struck at the Philadelphia Mint are plentiful and affordable while only a few dollars survive (and none in Gem).

The combined certified population from the leading services shows 190 grading events, 43 in Mint State. Unless a hitherto unknown accumulation of Mint State examples turns up, we do not expect to see this figure grow significantly. PCGS has reported only 46 additional grading events in all grades of the 1855 Liberty Seated Dollar since the publication of its April 2006 printed Population Report.

Some have suggested that the 1855 is similar in rarity to the 1854 Liberty Seated Dollar, and this may be true. From what’s available, however, the 1854 presents nicer coins. Neither date is known to have survived in Gem Mint State, but the 1854 clearly has a higher survivor rate at MS63 or better.

Unlike many silver dollars of the period that were struck and then exported to Asia or South America, the 1855 Liberty Seated Dollar was struck for circulation in California. Silver dollar experts Jim Osburn and Brian Cushing estimate that only 300 or so survive.

* * *

1855 Liberty Seated Dollar Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens

Top Population: PCGS MS64+ (1, 4/2025), NGC MS64 (1, 4/2025), and CAC MS64 (3:0 stickered:graded, 4/2025).

• PCGS MS64+ #29582796: Red, green and blue target toning on the obverse. Gold toning on the reverse. Imaged on PCGS CoinFacts. 

• PCGS MS64 CAC #06895788: “Auction ’80,” Paramount, August 1980, Lot 806; Stack’s, October 1985, Lot 225; As NGC MS64 #3122719-007. “The Queller Family Collection of Silver Dollars,” Heritage Auctions, April 17, 2008, Lot 2112 – $149,500. Bill Nagle. As PCGS MS64 CAC #06895788. Heritage Auctions, June 23 2014, Lot 30598 – $141,000.
• PCGS MS63: Heritage Auctions, July 29, 1993, Lot 6491 – $26,400. No image on Heritage’s website.
• PCGS MS62 #34610325: Heritage Auctions, July 11, 2019, Lot 3085 – $9,600.
• PCGS MS62 #34610325: Stack’s Bowers, August 15, 2018, Lot 1197 – $14,000 Reserve Not Met.
• PCGS MS62 CAC #34974327: “The Property of a Lady,” Heritage Auctions, February 22, 2018, Lot 3969 – $14,400.
• PCGS MS62 #25792389: Heritage Auctions, January 4, 2017, Lot 4616 – $13,512.50.
• NGC MS62 CAC #1870894-019: Heritage Auctions, June 26, 2008, Lot 1222 – $10,925.
• PCGS MS61 #35407294: “The Des Moines Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, August 15, 2018, Lot 1198 – $7,200.

* * *

Design

Obverse:

The obverse features Liberty seated on a rock in classical flowing robes, her head turned to the right (viewer’s left). Liberty’s left arm is bent, her raised hand holding a Liberty pole with a cap. The right arm is extended downward at her side, with the hand balancing a shield with the word LIBERTY displayed in a curving banner. Thirteen six-pointed stars surround the seated figure inside a denticulated rim with seven on the left side, one between Liberty’s head and the cap, and the remaining five along the right. The date 1855 is centered at the bottom between the base of the rock and the rim.

Reverse:

On the reverse, an eagle is prominently displayed inside a denticulated rim. The eagle’s wings are partly spread but folded downward at the joint as if the majestic bird had just landed or perhaps instead is preparing to fly away. An olive branch is in the dexter claw (viewer’s left); the sinister claw clutches three arrows. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA encircles the top two-thirds of the coin inside the rim, with the ONE DOL. denomination centered at the bottom. Most were minted at Philadelphia; branch New Orleans (O) and San Francisco (S) mintmarks are located below the eagle and above the denomination.

Edge:

The edge of the 1855 Liberty Seated Dollar is reeded.

1855 Liberty Seated Dollar Coin Specifications

* * *

References

Julian, R.W. “The Silver Dollar, 1853-1873”, Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine. August 1964. 2124-2128. Data compiled and analyzed from the National Archives.
 

* * *