Rare
1860 Gold $1 NGC PR66 UCAM . - $34,500. Click on Coin Image to
enlarge
Wow!
Gem Ultra Cameo. Only 154 were struck. This specimen
is tied for the highest/finest graded. Less than a year
after this coin was struck the War between the States
changed the course of America forever.
Please contact
me by email
or telephone 1-941-291-2156
to reserve this great coin.
The Indian Princess
Head gold dollar was designed by James Longacre and
minted from 1854 to 1889. The first, which is actually
Type 2 because there was a prior Liberty Head gold dollar,
was issued until 1856. The second Indian Princess gold
dollar, Type 3, was minted from 1856 to 1889. The Type
2 gold dollar showed a head of Liberty facing left wearing
a stylized feathered headdress. It is inscribed LIBERTY
on the headband. She is surrounded by the legend UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA.
The reverse shows an
open wreath of corn, cotton, maple, and tobacco tied
below with a bow. The wreath encircles the denomination,
1 DOLLAR, and the date. The problem with the coin was
that it did not strike up well. In fact mint state examples
looked worn and, in some cases, so circulated that the
date could not be read on the coin. This problem most
affected the branch mint issues, which Longacre did
not get to see until afterwards. The proofs that he
saw did not have this as a problem. To remedy this situation,
Longacre designed the Type 3 gold dollar. While the
design was similar to the previous issue, Longacre lowered
the relief and moved the obverse head so as not to be
opposite a reverse relief area. This coin is called
the Large Size or Large Head.
Longacre was born in
Pennsylvania in 1794. When he finished his apprenticeship
in Philadelphia as a bookseller and a banknote engraver,
he worked on his own as an engraver of book illustrations
and bank notes. His works included one on the signers
of the Declaration of Independence and another on stage
personalities. In 1830, Longacre began a series of biographies
of famous men in the military and the political arena.
In 1834 the result of this series became the National
Portrait Gallery of Distinguished Americans that was
published in four volumes. Longacre and those who worked
with him became famous because of this work.
In 1844 Longacre came
to work at the Mint. He was opposed by Franklin Peale,
the Chief Coiner. Peale was probably responsible for
some blundered dies that Longacre was criticized for
making. Peal was involved in a private, illegal medal
manufacturing business using Mint facilities. He was
concerned that this new political appointee would interfere
with his business, and he resisted Longacre’s
appointment as Chief Engraver. Finally in 1854, Peale
was fired by President Franklin Pearce. Longacre flourished
in his position and was responsible for creating many
new designs including the Indian Head cent, the two-cent
piece, the Shield nickel, the Liberty Head gold dollar,
the Indian Princess gold dollar, the three-dollar gold
piece, and the Liberty Head double eagle.
