1873 Seated Liberty Dollar

About This Coin

The 1873 Seated Liberty Dollar is a United States dollar from the Seated Liberty Dollars 1840-1873 series. The obverse features Liberty seated on a rock, holding a pole surmounted by a Phrygian liberty cap in her left hand and a shield inscribed LIBERTY in her right, while the reverse displays a heraldic eagle with shield on breast, olive branch and arrows in talons, with a banner reading E PLURIBUS UNUM. Designed by Christian Gobrecht. Struck in 90% silver, 10% copper, weighing 26.73 grams, 38.1 mm in diameter, with a reeded edge. The Seated Liberty Dollar was produced from 1840 to 1873, when the denomination was replaced by the Trade Dollar. Like other Seated Liberty denominations, the series features several subtypes including No Motto (1840-1865) and With Motto (1866-1873). All dates are moderately scarce due to relatively low mintages. The 1870-S is one of the great U.S. coin rarities, with perhaps only nine examples surviving.