1859 Dollar Die Trial - J-A1859-7

Coin Details

Auction Record

$8,625 MS61 06-26-2008 Heritage Auctions

Description

This die trial from the dies of an 1859 Seated Liberty dollar documents one of the early years after the resumption of silver dollar production following the Coinage Act of 1853. The standard silver dollar had been effectively removed from circulation by the 1853 reduction in the weight of subsidiary silver coins (dimes through half dollars), which left the dollar as the only silver denomination at its original weight — making it worth more as bullion than its face value. Dollar production continued on a limited basis for export and collector purposes, with the 1859 Philadelphia mintage reaching 256,500 pieces. The obverse features Christian Gobrecht's Seated Liberty design with the legend "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" around the border (moved from the reverse in 1840), thirteen stars, and the date 1859. The reverse displays the denomination "ONE DOL." within an olive wreath, with "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" no longer present on this side. The Judd-A1859-7 designation catalogs this among the die trial varieties for the Seated Liberty dollar series. Testing the dollar dies was important because the large-diameter coin (38.1mm) required substantial striking pressure to bring up the full design, and die deterioration was a persistent concern. This die trial provided Mint technicians with a diagnostic impression to evaluate the dies before committing silver planchets to a denomination that served primarily as a trade coin and collector issue during this period.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Die trials of the Seated Liberty dollar are scarce for any date, with most individual Judd appendix varieties known in fewer than five specimens.

Cross References

Judd-A1859-7