J-104 (J104) 1839 S$1 (1839 Silver Dollar) NGC PF AU Details. Someone repaired this 1839 Pattern Silver $1.00 and did an excellent job because it is an exceedingly eye-appealing piece. Lightly toned devices contrast with somewhat darker fields. Subtle shades of rose, olive, blue, and tan are seen. Except for a couple of the stars and the center of LIBERTY, the strike shows full details on both sides.

The J-104 pattern dollar was designed by Christian Gobrecht. It is often collected with the Liberty Seated dollars. The obverse shows the familiar seated Liberty motif, but the designers name has been removed. Liberty is pictured sitting on a rock, looking to her right, while holding a Union shield. In her left hand she holds a liberty cap on a pole, emblematic of American freedom. The reverse shows an eagle in a plain field as it flies horizontally to the left. The legend is UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and ONE DOLLAR.

Gobrecht Dollars are often complex. Struck in silver with a reeded edge, the coins are either originals or restrikes. Most 1839 pieces were struck with Die Alignment IV, when the coin is turned like a medal and the eagle is flying level. This is the more common die alignment, and researchers believe these are clandestine restrikes made in about 1858 or later, for Robert Coulton Davis, a Philadelphia druggist and collector with friendly ties to the Mint staff.

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 where he had an excellent job. He invented a machine that enabled one to convert a three-dimensional medal into an illustration. Understandably, Gobrecht was reluctant to join the Mint staff and work for less money. In order to persuade him to leave the engraving firm, Mint Director Robert Patterson convinced Chief Engraver William Kneass, incapacitated by a stroke, to give up a significant part of his salary so more money would be available to hire the new employee permanently. Gobrechts first work for the United States Mint was in 1826 when he made dies as an assistant to Kneass. When Kneass was unable to continue working because of the 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 denominations 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.

The J-104 dollar pattern coin is an R3, meaning that 201 to 500 are known to have been minted. Hence, it is a rare in all grades. In its population report, NGC shows a total of 44 coins certified and PGCS has 42. These numbers do not account for crossovers or resubmissions. The grading services do not provide population numbers for details graded coins.