1850 S$1 Seated (1850 Seated Dollar) PCGS PR61. This proof 1850 Liberty Seated Dollar shows traces of mint luster within the devices. The obverse is silver-grey, tan, and gold with areas of dark toning above Libertys head and down the sides and bottom of the periphery. The reverse shows similar colors with a touch of russet added. It also has areas of dark toning on the eagles lower extremities, and near the edge. A few scattered marks in the drapery probably keep this coin from a higher mint state grade. The strike is full and sharp, as expected for a proof coin. The scuff marks on the reverse are on the holder not the coin. The Liberty Seated dollar was designed by Christian Gobrecht and was first minted in 1840. It shows a seated figure of Liberty looking over her shoulder to the left. In her left hand she holds a pole with a Phrygian cap on it. In her other hand she balances a Union shield that is inscribed LIBERTY. She is surrounded by thirteen stars above with the date below. Around the periphery of the coin are dentils. The reverse shows a heraldic eagle holding arrows and olive branches in its talons facing left with wings lowered. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is above and the denomination ONE DOL. is below.

Christian Gobrecht was the third Chief Engraver at Mint in Philadelphia. He was born in Hanover, Pennsylvania in 1785. His father, a German immigrant was a reverend. His mother, Elizabeth Sands was a descendent of the early settlers of Plymouth Colony. In 1818 Gobrecht married Mary Hewes. After an apprenticeship, he became an engraver of clockworks in Baltimore. Later, in Philadelphia, he joined a banknote engraving firm. He invented a machine that enabled one to convert a three-dimensional medal into an illustration. His first work for the United States Mint was in 1826 when he made dies as an assistant to William Kneass. When Kneass was unable to continue working because of a stroke, Gobrecht did all the die and pattern work. He was Chief Engraver from 1840 until his death in 1844. Famous for his Liberty Seated dollar obverse, which was used for all denomination of silver coinage, he was responsible for also designing the Liberty Head motif that was first used on the gold eagle, and then on the half cent, the cent, and the gold quarter and half eagles.

Although proof sets for 1850 are extremely rare, the dollar is more often seen in proof condition than the minor coinage. With just 7,500 regular coins being minted for this date, Mint insiders may have had more proof coins restruck in anticipation of a collector market. In any case, all 1850 proof dollars are rare. Researchers estimate that 30 to 40 are known today. Both major grading services show a combined 28 pieces in all grades. PCGS has 1 in PF61 condition with 9 better.