By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
The Liberty Seated Dollar design, which debuted in 1840, was largely out of circulation when the design was modified with the new national motto IN GOD WE TRUST.
As the nation moved closer to open conflict in the early 1860s, Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase received a suggestion from a Pennsylvania minister that a religious motto be added to the nation’s coins. Secretary Chase instructed United States Mint Director James Pollock to develop plans for implementing a suitable representation of this sentiment on America’s coins. Several alternatives were proposed, including GOD AND OUR COUNTRY, GOD IS OUR SHIELD, and GOD OUR TRUST. Chase selected the now-familiar IN GOD WE TRUST.
Appearing first on the Two-Cent Piece, the Mint Act of 1865 authorized the placement of the motto on silver and gold coins. The With Motto Liberty Seated Dollar debuted in 1866.
Though mintages of the No Motto dollar exceeded one million coins twice, year-by-year mintages were erratic because coins were struck at the Mint upon the request of silver bullion depositors. Many of the coins continued to be shipped overseas for silver content regardless of the face value. The production of Liberty Seated Dollars concluded by an act of omission; no additional domestic dollars were authorized by the Coinage Act of 1873, which instead created the Trade Dollar for export.
Mintages of the With Motto Liberty Seated Dollar varied extensively year by year, from a low of 12 from San Francisco in 1870 to over one million in 1871 and 1872.
Certified population reports show just over 10,000 grading events of Liberty Seated Dollar, With Motto business strike coins, mostly between XF to near-Mint state. Few have graded Gem or higher, and none have graded above MS67. Prices for business strikes are below those of the No Motto coins, achieving approximate parity at MS63, with some key exceptions. The very rare 1870-S is a set stopper for most collectors and Carson City dates (1870-CC, 1871-CC, 1872-CC, 1873-CC) command price multiples of up to 15 times their more humble Philadelphia counterparts.
Proofs were issued for only about half of the type’s run. Mintages for these issues ranged from several hundred to a high of 1,000 coins in the remainder. A handful of coins earned the highest certified Proof grade of PR69. With Motto Proofs are roughly equivalent in price to non-key business strikes at the same grade. Several dozen Cameo and Deep Cameo/Ultra Cameo Proofs have been certified, showing modest price premiums that increase at top grades.
In-Depth Date Analysis by CoinWeek Notes
Extended Coverage on CoinWeek
Author Greg Shishmanian, a long-time collector of Liberty Seated Dollars, discusses his experiences building a CAC-approved grading set of 1871 With Motto Liberty Seated Dollars, from AG3 to MS63. Profusely illustrated.
Counterfeit coin researcher Jack Young and the “Dark Side” group look into counterfeit 1872-CC Liberty Seated Dollars.
And in this piece, major grading service NGC tackles a fake 1872 Philadelphia issue dollar. Judging from this and Jack Young’s article above, collectors should be especially aware of shenanigans concerning 1872-dated Liberty Seated Dollars.
Design
Obverse:
The obverse of the Liberty Seated Dollar displays Lady Liberty seated on a rock in classical flowing robes, head turned toward her right (viewer’s left). Her 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 upon which the word Liberty is displayed in a curving banner. Thirteen six-pointed stars surround the seated figure inside a denticulated rim: seven on the left side, one between Liberty’s head and the cap, and the remaining five along the right. The date 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 partially spread but folded downward at the joint. An olive branch is in the dexter claw (viewer’s left); the sinister claw clutches three arrows. A banner displaying the motto IN GOD WE TRUST twists above the eagle’s head below the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, which encircles the top two-thirds of the coin inside the rim. The ONE DOL. denomination is at the bottom. Most were minted at Philadelphia; branch Carson City (CC) and San Francisco (S) mintmarks are located below the eagle and above the denomination.
Edge:
The edge of the With Motto Liberty Seated Dollar is reeded.
Varieties
Approximately two dozen varieties are known in both business strike and Proof, most being minor punch variations or die combinations.
Liberty Seated Dollar, With Motto Coin Specifications
| Liberty Seated Dollar, With Motto | |
| Years of Issue: | 1866-73 |
| Mintage (Business): | High: 1,105,500 (1872); Low: 12 (1870-S, estimated) |
| Mintage (Proof): | High: 1,000 (1870); Low: 600 (1868, 1869, 1873; excludes Branch Mint Proofs) |
| Alloy: | .900 silver, .100 copper |
| Weight: | 26.73 g |
| Diameter: | 38.10 mm |
| Edge: | Reeded |
| OBV Designer: | Christian Gobrecht |
| REV Designer: | Christian Gobrecht |
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Additional References
Bowers, Q. David. The Experts Guide to Collecting and Investing in Rare Coins. Whitman Publishing.
–. A Guide Book of United States Type Coins. Whitman Publishing.
Bowers, Q. David (author), and John Dannreuther (editor). A Buyer’s Guide to Silver Dollars & Trade Dollars of the United States. Zyrus Press
Breen, Walter. Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of U.S. Coins. Doubleday.
Dannreuther, John, and Harry W. Bass, Jr. Early U.S. Gold Coin Varieties, A Study of Die States. 1795-1834. Whitman Publishing.
Guth, Ron, and Jeff Garrett. United States Coinage: A Study by Type. Whitman Publishing.
–. Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coins: 1795-1933. Whitman Publishing.
Taxay, Don. The U.S. Mint and Coinage. Arco Publishing.
Winter, Douglas. Gold Coins of the Charlotte Mint: 1838-1861. Zyrus Press.
–. Gold Coins of the New Orleans Mint: 1839-1909. Zyrus Press
–. Gold Coins of the Dahlonega Mint: 1838-1861. Zyrus Press
Yeoman, R.S., and Jeff Garrett (editor). The Official Red Book: A Guide Book of United States Coins. Whitman Publishing.
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