1836 Dollar Die Trial - J-A1836-5

Coin Details

Description

This white metal die trial is from the dies of the celebrated 1836 Gobrecht dollar, one of the most artistically ambitious coins ever produced by the United States Mint. Christian Gobrecht, under the supervision of Mint Director Robert M. Patterson and artist Thomas Sully, created a stunning new design that broke dramatically from the staid Capped Bust motifs of the preceding decades. The obverse features a seated figure of Liberty on a rock, holding a pole with a liberty cap, with thirteen stars around the border and the date 1836 below. The reverse displays Gobrecht's magnificent flying eagle soaring through a field of stars — a naturalistic composition inspired by Peter, the Mint's own tame eagle. The J-A1836-5 die trial captures this design in white metal, a soft alloy that reveals the finest details of Gobrecht's engraving. Die trials of the Gobrecht dollar are of special interest because the coin underwent multiple die configurations during 1836-1839, with variations in the alignment of the stars, the die rotation, and the edge treatment. This piece documents one specific die state in the evolution of a design that influenced American coinage for the next eighty years.

Rarity Notes

Very rare. Gobrecht dollar die trials in any metal are highly sought after, with most varieties known in single digits.

Cross References

Judd-A1836-5