History of the Seated Liberty Dollar
The Seated Liberty dollar circulated in an America where a dollar was a day’s wage, so mintages were small and survival rates smaller. Every date is scarce compared with the Morgan series that followed, and the coin trades more like a classic rarity than a bullion item.
Carson City issues of 1870–1873 are the trophies, and the 1870-S is one of the great American rarities with perhaps a dozen known. Even common Philadelphia dates cost hundreds in collectible grades.
The Seated Liberty dollar was struck from 1840 to 1873 in 90% silver. The design is the work of Christian Gobrecht. Each coin weighs 26.73 grams. Production took place at Philadelphia, New Orleans (O), San Francisco (S) and Carson City (CC).
How much is a Seated Liberty dollar worth?
Like every collectible coin, the value of a Seated Liberty dollar comes down to grade, rarity and demand. The ranges below are approximate retail prices collectors pay for problem-free examples — coins that have been cleaned, scratched or holed usually trade well below these figures.
For a live market check, recent sold listings beat out-of-date price guides every time. CoinVault Pro combines Numista catalog data with real eBay sold prices for every coin it recognizes, so you can see what buyers are actually paying this month — not what a book claimed years ago.
- Good–Very Good: $250–$350
- Fine–Very Fine: $400–$600
- Extremely Fine: $650–$1,000
- MS-63: $2,500–$4,500
How to identify a genuine Seated Liberty Dollar
Authentication starts with the basics: weight, diameter, design details and the way the surfaces look. For the Seated Liberty dollar, check the following:
If anything feels off — the weight is wrong, the details are mushy, or the surfaces look cast rather than struck — get a second opinion before buying or selling. Valuable dates are exactly the coins counterfeiters target most.
- Weight (26.73 g) and dimensions match the Morgan dollar; casts run light.
- The 1870-S, 1871-CC, 1872-CC and 1873-CC are heavily faked — certify anything claiming those dates.
- Many survivors were used in jewelry; check the rim at 12 o’clock for mount damage.
Check your Seated Liberty dollar with CoinVault Pro
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From there you can add the coin to your collection, track its value over time, put upgrades on your wishlist, or list it on the in-app marketplace with escrow protection. The app is free to download on iOS and Android.