J-434 S$1 (J434 S$1) 1865 Silver Dollar PCGS PF64 CAC. This proof, pattern 1865 Silver Dollar is a transitional With Motto piece. The coin has an almost cameo contrast with light, lustrous devices against darker backgrounds. The devices are a silvery rose and grey, and the fields are a mixture of purple, tan, sliver, and brown. The strike is full, as expected for a proof coin, and the uncirculated grade is confirmed by CAC, indicating that the coin is a premium quality piece within the grade range. The vertical lines on the obverse and the scuff marks on the lower reverse are on the holder not the coin.

Both before and during the Civil War almost a dozen Protestant denominations pressured Congress to add references to God to the Constitution and other government documents. Reverend Mark Richards Watkinson of Ridleyville, Pennsylvania was the first to write to Treasury Secretary Salmon Chase to request that Gods name be added to our coinage. His suggestion for a motto was God, Liberty, Law. Chase ordered Mint Director James Pollock to prepare a suitable motto. Pollocks suggestions included Our Trust Is In God, Our God And Our Country, and God Our Trust. Then Chase decided on In God We Trust to be added to most of the nations coinage. This motto was a subtle reminder that the North considered itself on the side of God with regard to the issue of slavery. A new law was required to allow the motto to be added since previous acts of Congress specified the mottos and devices that were permitted on coins.

Originally all of the United States coinage was secular. However, in the first sixty or so years of the United States existence, religious life became more important to the populace. By 1860, twenty-three percent of the population belonged to a church or had some kind of religious affiliation. Groups such as the National Reform Association wanted to amend the Constitution to acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as the source of all power and authority in government. The amendment was unsuccessful; however, the sentiment to bring religion into government remained strong. President Abraham Lincoln chose James Pollock to be the Mint Director in 1861. He served until 1867. Pollock was in favor of the idea that the nation depended on the will of God. Reverend Watkinson was the first person who actually addressed this need. He believed that adding the name of God to our coinage would, relieve us from the ignominy of heathenism[and] place us openly under the divine protection. The Coinage Act of 1865 created the authority to place the motto on all coins. In 1866 it was placed on the half eagle, the eagle and the double eagle as well as on silver coinage and the shield nickel. It wasnt until the newly designed double eagles of Augusts Saint-Gaudens that the motto was briefly omitted in 1907 because of President Theodore Roosevelts objection to it.

Designed by Christian Gobrecht, the obverse shows Liberty looking over her shoulder to the left as she sits on a rock. In one hand she holds a pole with a Phrygian cap upon it. With the other she balances the LIBERTY inscribed Union shield. Thirteen stars are above, interrupted by her head and the cap, and the date is below. The reverse shows the heraldic eagle looking left. In its talons are the olive branch and arrows, symbols of peace and preparedness. At the top is the required inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The denomination written as ONE DOL. is below. The motto IN GOD WE TRUST was added by placing it on a ribbon above the eagles head. James Barton Longacre engraved the ribbon with the motto added.

A specimen of this transitional pattern owned by Harry W. Bass, Jr. was struck over an 1853 Seated Liberty dollar. In addition to sliver, the pattern was also produced in copper and aluminum.

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 sliver coinage including the half dime, dime, quarter dollar, half dollar and sliver 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 1865 J-434 has a low 7 rarity rating, which means that 7 to 12 pieces are known to exist. In its population report, PGCS shows this coin tied for second finest with 3 others and 1 better. At CAC, as of December 2011, there is 1 in PF64, the present coin, with 1 better.