United States Gobrecht Dollars
1836–1839 • Pattern Coins • Seated Liberty Origin • Name on Base / Below Base
Gobrecht Dollars, dated 1836, 1838, and 1839, represent one of the most artistically significant chapters in American numismatic history. Designed by Christian Gobrecht, who became Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint in 1840, these silver coins introduced the Seated Liberty motif that would define American coinage for over half a century. Their small production — the Mint was testing whether a silver dollar would be accepted again after a three-decade pause — has elevated them to the status of numismatic treasures. For values across every U.S. series, see our Coin Price Guide, and if you already have a coin in hand, our What's My Coin Worth guide walks you through identifying and valuing it.
U.S. Dollar Explorer
Christian Gobrecht's Design
Christian Gobrecht brought a level of artistic refinement to the dollar denomination that had not been seen in American coinage up to that point. His obverse depicted Liberty seated on a rock, draped in flowing robes, holding a pole topped with a Liberty cap — an image drawn from classical allegory that would prove so enduring it was adapted for the dime, quarter, half dollar, and dollar series that followed. The reverse introduced a magnificent flying eagle, rendered with a naturalism and dynamism that set it apart from the heraldic eagles of earlier designs. On the 1836 dollars the eagle soars through a field of stars, while the 1838 and 1839 issues move the stars to the obverse and leave the eagle in a plain field.
Production and Rarity
The Mint struck 1,000 Gobrecht Dollars dated 1836 in December of that year, a small pattern issue of 1838 (perhaps 50 originals), and 300 more in December 1839. All of them were made with proof-style care, and coin census data today lists them as proofs. That scarcity is compounded by restrikes: starting around 1859, Mint officials quietly restruck all three dates for collectors, so many surviving examples are later restrikes rather than original emissions. Original 1838s are among the rarest issues in the entire dollar series, and original 1839s are considerably scarcer than original 1836s. High-grade originals command premium prices at major auction houses, and even lower-grade examples are significant numismatic acquisitions.
Distinct Varieties of the Gobrecht Dollar
One of the most recognizable features of the Gobrecht Dollar is the placement of Christian Gobrecht's name. The 1836 originals struck for circulation are the "Name on Base" type, with C. GOBRECHT F. engraved on the base of the rock where Liberty sits. A separate "Name Below Base" type places the signature in the field beneath the rock, above the date; it is cataloged as a pattern (Judd-58) and is known mainly from restrikes. On the 1838 and 1839 dollars, the name was removed from the base entirely. Edges differ too: the 1836 originals have plain edges, while 1838 and 1839 originals are reeded.
Die alignment is the other key to the series. Originals and restrikes were often struck with the dies rotated differently, and on 1836 restrikes the eagle flies level rather than "onward and upward." Collectors often seek several varieties to show the design's evolution, and PCGS and NGC attribute the major types by Judd number on certified examples.
Why So Few Were Struck
The United States had not struck silver dollars for circulation since 1804, so the Gobrecht Dollar was an experiment as much as a coin. Mint Director Robert Maskell Patterson wanted to test whether the public and the banks would accept a new silver dollar before committing to full production. As a result, the Mint released the 1,000 pieces of December 1836 into circulation and watched the response. When the Treasury's supply ran out in 1838, the Mint struck a small pattern issue, and in December 1839 it delivered 300 more.
The design itself also stirred controversy. Gobrecht's name was originally conspicuous, and critics objected to an engraver signing a national coin so prominently, so the signature was moved to the base and later removed altogether. The experiment ultimately succeeded: in 1840 the Mint began striking Seated Liberty dollars in much larger numbers. That cautious start, however, is exactly why Gobrecht Dollars are so scarce and valuable today.
Legacy and Numismatic Importance
Although the Gobrecht Dollar never achieved full regular-issue status, its artistic merit and rarity have secured its place as a cornerstone of early American coinage. Collectors value these coins not only for their beauty but for the story they tell about the Mint's cautious return to the silver dollar and the evolution of U.S. Mint design. Gobrecht's Seated Liberty design — introduced on these dollars — was the direct ancestor of the Seated Liberty series that ran from 1837 through 1891 across the dime, quarter, half dollar, and dollar denominations. Today, both the 1836 originals and the rarer 1838 and 1839 issues remain highly sought after, representing the pivot from the Bust dollar era to the Seated Liberty coinage that defined American silver for the next half century.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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The Gobrecht & Trade Dollars - Practical guidance for identifying genuine specimens, grading standards, and spotting counterfeits.
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