Beschreibung:

James B. Longacre, designer Obverse: Small head of Liberty facing left, wearing an Indian headdress with LIBERTY inscribed on the band; around, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Reverse: 1 / DOLLAR / 1855, in three lines within wreath composed of agricultural elements bound with a bow. Condition: NGC Proof 66★ Ultra Cameo (Certificate number 1963253-001 – Photo Proof 10-07) A superb example with the finest details sharply struck. Rich frosted cameo effect highlighting the deeply mirrored field. Full, rich color, with only a few minuscule lint marks (as made, these are not defects), those most noticeable,one behind Liberty's head, and one below the truncation serve to identify this example. As noted by Q. David Bowers in the Eliasberg catalogue: "Lint marks are often seen among pre-1858 Proofs." An exceptional coin. References: This Coin Published: Breen (Encyclopedia) 6040; Garrett & Guth (Encyclopedia) p. 30; Garrett & Dannreuther, Significant Auction Records 1990-1999, this piece illustrated on the cover; this piece used to illustrate the type on the NGC Coin Explorer website. Other references: Breen (Proofs) p. 99; Akers (1975) pp. 37-38; Garrett & Guth (100 Greatest U.S. Coins). (PCGS 97602) Condition Census: Tied for finest known, with, according to NGC, only one other example graded Proof 66★ Ultra Cameo, none finer; PCGS records a single example at this grade (but lacking cameo or deep cameo designations).(07-13) Rarity: As a proof, both extremely rare as a date, and exceptionally rare as a design type. This date is lacking in the National Coin Collection in the Smithsonian where the type is represented, according to Garrett & Guth (Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coins) by a "harshly cleaned" 1854. Walter Breen (Proofs) postulated a population of between six and ten examples; he identified six specific examples (but the one he noted as being in the Garrett collection was an error). Akers, in the John J. Pittman catalogue (Part One, lot 866), listed eight examples (including, in error, the Smithsonian) with the possibility of a ninth, and the two major grading services agree with this figure. In addition to the Pittman coin, one is the American Numismatic Society; other examples include those formerly in the Norman Stack, Floyd Starr, and Harold Bareford collections, as well as this example, formerly in the Clapp, Eliasberg, and Trompeter collections. The Type 2 design was struck in 1854-1856 yet only a dozen or so proofs exist for the entire series, three of which are in museum collections. Nothing even close to the quality of this Gem has appeared at auction for half a decade. Provenance: Ed Trompeter, Superior Galleries, February 25, 1992, lot 1, Gem Brilliant Proof, "... resplendent, spotless .... On the envelope in which this Trompeter coin came was the notation 'Probably the finest of 7 known'." ($148,500); Jay Miller; Louis E. Eliasberg, Bowers and Ruddy Galleries, October 27-29, 1982 lot 26, Gem Brilliant Proof-67, "A superb, magnificent example .... a legendary piece which will be forever remembered in the annals of the series.... [its] condition sets it apart from nearly all, if not completely all of its rare companions." ($62,700); John H. Clapp Collection, 1942 (via Stack's); Elmer S. Sears, April 1909. Note: Authorized by the Coinage Act of March 3, 1849, the gold dollar, like the double eagle, was created as a result of the vast discoveries of gold in California. Although the concept for a gold dollar coin reaches back to Alexander Hamilton's original blueprint for our nation's monetary system in 1791, it wasn't until the mid-nineteenth century that it saw the light of day. Congress forced the Mint to design and strike the denomination despite lengthy resistance from Mint Director Robert Patterson (a series of pattern gold dollars was produced in 1836). In 1849, the Mint's Chief Engraver, James B. Longacre was entrusted with designing the new denomination, whose obverse head of Liberty was enlarged and later used for th