1865 $1 Liberty Seated Silver Dollar PCGS PR64+ (CAC) - Stunning Iridescent Toning!

A rare Civil War-era issue, this specimen offers beautiful splashes and brush strokes of gold, yellow, magenta, plum, russet, aqua, and green. Out of its original tiny mintage of 500, there are 3 graded by PCGS as PR64+, with 38 finer, while in CAC there are 4 in PR64/64+ with only 9 finer. The enthusiast of beautifully toned numismatic art should carefully consider this offering.

Chief Engraver Christian Gobrecht, one of several artists and engravers who collaborated on the Seated Liberty design.

The Seated Liberty design was a collaboration of several hands and minds before it appeared on the silver dollar and other coins. It was U.S. Mint Director Robert B. Patterson, who, in 1835, was desirous of a new coin that was reminiscent of Britannia on British copper. Artist Thomas Sully was tasked with crafting a rendering of Liberty based on a set of British coins and medals. Then Sully's work was given to the newly hired engraver, Christian Gobrecht, who created a series of drawings before producing a copper die for study and presentation in Washington, D.C. When the new half dollars were produced, starting in 1839, they had an updated reverse that was a freshly engraved version of John Reich's 1807 eagle reverse design--sans the motto and ribbon. The year 1839 saw sculptor Robert Ball Hughes lower the relief, refine the proportions and dynamics of the Liberty, as well as add an eloquent fold of cloth from the right elbow. Thus the design as we know it today should really be called the "Patterson-Sully-Gobrecht-Hughes" design.