Description
James B. Longacre designed
the Liberty Head Type Gold dollar shortly after coinage of the gold
dollar was authorized by Congressional act on March 3, 1849. It is the
smallest coin in United States history with a diameter of only 13mm,
making it even smaller than the 14mm silver three-cent piece.
Design
Several different variations of
the $1 Liberty Head coins were minted. The differences of these
variations include the size of Liberty's head as well as the
openness/enclosure of the wreath on the reverse. However, the basic
design, detailed below, did not change.
Like the $20 Liberty, the obverse of the coin features Lady Liberty
with her hair tightly curled above her neck, crowned by a coronet. The
surrounding thirteen stars represent the thirteen original colonies.
The reverse features a wreath encircling the denomination and date.
The Mint Mark is located between the wreath and the words "United
States of America".
Minting Information
The $1 Liberty Head
gold coin was minted from 1849 until the introduction of the $1 Indian
Head gold coin in 1854. Although the design on the obverse completely
changed, many numismatists refer to the Liberty Head and the two
versions of the $1 Indian Head gold coins as Types I, II, and III.
These gold dollars were minted primarily at the Philadelphia Mint,
but also at Charlotte, Dahlonega, New Orleans, and in its last year,
1854, at the newly opened San Francisco Mint.
| Detailed Coin Information |
| Designer: Jame B. Longacre |
| Gross Weight: 1.672g |
Gold Content: 0.04837 oz. |
| Composition: 90% gold, 10% copper |
| Diameter: 13mm |
| Dates: 1849-1854 |
| Mints: Charlotte (1849-1853), Dahlonega (all dates), New Orleans (1849-1853), Philadelphia (all dates), San Francisco (1854 only) |
