1856 Type III Indian Gold Dollar

HBCC#:

1006

Breen#:

6047

BD#:

n/a

Judd#:

n/a

Pollock#:

n/a

This is the first year of the final design for this denomination, continuing through the end of the series in 1889. Longacre’s large Indian Head design was patterned after the same artist’s design for three-dollar gold coins. Longacre prepared all designs for the gold dollar denomination. Only three-dollar gold pieces have a similar distinction among regularly produced gold coinage denominations. This example, struck in Proof, is one of only a dozen known. Later years of this design type are characterized by substantially higher survival quantities among Proof coinage.

Provenance:

From the Paramount International Coin Corporation session of Auction '85, July 1985, Lot 1367.

Obverse:

Type III design. Indian Princess Head faces left, wearing a headband inscribed LIBERTY in incuse letters. Around, the statutory legend, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Longacre's initial, L, is on the bust truncation, however, generally very hard to see.

Reverse:

An agricultural wreath of corn, cotton, maple leaves, and other leaves. This wreath is tied at the bottom by a ribbon with double bow, very slightly open at the top. The wreath encloses 1 DOLLAR and the date. Mintmark for branch mint coins is below the ribbon knot. Essentially, this is the same motif as used on the Type II dollar.

Commentary:

"Proof. Reverse: Slant 5. Lightly clashed."