SEATED LIBERTY SILVER DOLLARS - GOBRECHT TYPE (1836-1839)
"Much recent research has been conducted on those pieces, and it is now generally accepted that none were struck in 1836. No Die Alignment I pieces are known, and no records exist of these coins until the late 1850s. This would be the earliest date the Judd-63 dollars could have been struck, and it is generally believed that they were actually produced sometime between 1867 and 1878, a time period that would correspond with one of the tenures of Henry Linderman as Mint director.
An interesting recent discovery by John Dannreuther further underscores the late striking period for the Name Below Base dollars. These coins all show effacement of C. GOBRECHT F. from the base of the rock--a move that was clearly done so that it could be added again below the base.
The Judd-63 dollars were obviously produced for sale to collectors as there was no obvious need for a starless obverse and reverse combination. All known examples show the same diagnostics. The reverse shows die cracks through the tops of MERI, the base of LAR in DOLLAR, and the top of TE in UNITED. All examples also show a raised die spur on the right side of the D in UNITED. Only three silver strikings of Judd-63 are known."
"1838 P$1 Name Omitted, Judd-84 Restrike, Pollock-93, R.5, PR64 PCGS. Silver. Reeded Edge. Die Alignment III (center of Liberty's head opposite the N in ONE). Gobrecht dollars from 1838 are known in both Die Alignment III and IV. Die Alignment IV coins are generally considered originals and lack the minute die cracks seen on later strikings, with the expected die cracks through MERI, TE, and the base of LAR.
Carboneau and Gray estimated that 250-300 restrikes were produced, either during the tenure of Mint Director James Ross Snowden or Henry Linderman. We speculate that this piece was most likely produced during one of Linderman's terms as director as the die crack from TE continues to the left to the top of the I, thus indicating a later striking.
Very few 1838 dollars are known in circulated grades, which would make sense as these pieces were made specifically for collectors. Courtesy of HA.com
SPECIFICATIONS
Designer: Obverse by Thomas Sully, reverse by Titian Peale, both executed by Christian Gobrecht
Diameter: 39 millimeters
Metal Content:
Originals - 89.2 % Silver, 10.8% Copper
Restrikes - 90% Silver, 10% Copper
Weight:
Originals - 416 grains (27.0 grams)
Restrikes - 412.5 grains (26.7 grams)
Edge: Plain (except for a reeded edge on one Restrike variety)
Mintmark: None (all examples of this date were struck at the Philadelphia Mint)