1857 Silver Dollar - 1857 Seated $1 NGC PF64. This scarce, lightly toned, near-Gem proof 1857 Silver Dollar has a semi-cameo appearance. Tan and steel-gray fields contrast with light, silvery devices. The coin has original surfaces that show light to medium hairlines with good reflectivity in keeping with the grade. As expected, no wear is seen on either side of this fresh piece. The scuff marks on the lower reverse are on the holder not the coin.

Christian Gobrecht designed the Seated Liberty dollar. The obverse depicts Liberty seated looking over her shoulder to the left. She balances the Union Shield inscribed LIBERTY with her right hand and holds a staff on which is placed a Phrygian cap in her left. There are seven stars to the left and six to the right interrupted by her head and the capped pole. The date is below. The reverse shows the heraldic eagle looking left. It is surrounded by the required inscription and the denomination written as ONE DOL. below. Dentils are around the periphery of both sides of the coin.

Christian Gobrecht became the third Chief Engraver at the United States Mint. He was born in Hanover, Pennsylvania in 1785. His father was a German immigrant, and his mother traced her ancestry to the early settlers of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Gobrecht married Mary Hewes in 1818. One of his early positions was as an engraver of clocks in Baltimore. Later he went to Philadelphia where he became a banknote engraver. He invented a machine that allowed one to convert a three-dimensional medal into an illustration.

This was an excellent job and Gobrecht was understandably reluctant to work for the Mint for less money than he was making at the engraving firm. In order to persuade him to leave, Mint Director Robert Patterson prevailed upon Chief Engraver William Kneass, who had had a stroke, to take less in salary so more money would be available to hire Gobrecht on a permanent basis. In 1826 Gobrecht did his first work for the Mint as an assistant to Kneass. After Kneass stroke, Gobrecht did all the die and pattern work for the Mint. He became Chief Engraver in 1840 and served until his death in 1844. He was famous for his Liberty Seated motif which was used for all denominations of silver coinage including the half-dime, dime, quarter dollar, half dollar and silver dollar. He also designed the Liberty Head gold eagle, a motif that was also used on the half-cent, the cent, the gold quarter eagle, and the gold half eagle. 

The 1857 silver proof dollar has a surviving population of 50 to 75. In its population report, NGC shows 10 in PF64 condition with 8 better. PCGS has 10 with 1 better. These numbers do not account for crossovers or resubmissions.