Illustrated history of the United States mint / with a complete description of American coinage, from the earliest period to the present time

by Unknown

Gold.

Double Eagle.

Authorized to be coined, Act of March 3, 1849. Weight, 516 grains; fineness, 900; size, 21.

1850 to 1865, inclusive. No. 1. Obverse: Liberty head, facing left, hair tied behind, a coronet on the forehead inscribed “LIBERTY,” thirteen stars and date.

Reverse: An eagle with shield upon its breast, and an olive branch and three arrows in its talons; in its beak, an elaborate scroll, inscribed “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” Above, a circle of thirteen stars and a curved line of rays extending from wing to wing. “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.” “TWENTY D.”

1866 to 1876, inclusive. No. 2, same, with the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST” inscribed within the circle of stars on the reverse.

1877. No. 3. Same, with “TWENTY DOLLARS” for “TWENTY D.”

Eagle.

Authorized to be coined, Act of April 2, 1792. Weight, 270 grains; fineness, 916⅔. Weight changed, Act of June 28, 1834, to 258 grains. Fineness changed, Act of June 28, 1834, to 899.225. Fineness changed, Act of January 18, 1837, to 900.

1795. Obverse: Liberty head, wearing a cap, facing right. Fifteen stars. Above, “LIBERTY;” beneath, “1795;” size, 21.

Reverse: An eagle with displayed wings, standing on a palm branch; in beak, a laurel wreath. “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”

1796. Same, with sixteen stars.

1797. No. 1. Same, with sixteen stars.

1797. No. 2. Obverse: Same, with sixteen stars.

Reverse: An eagle with the United States shield upon its breast, a bundle of arrows in the right talon, and an olive branch in the left; in its beak, a scroll inscribed “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” Around the head are sixteen stars; above, is a curved line of clouds extending from wing to wing. “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”

1798 to 1801, inclusive. Same, with thirteen stars on the obverse. Of 1798, two varieties with four stars facing.

1802. None issued.

1803 and 1804. Same as No. 2 of 1797. Thirteen stars.

1805 to 1837, inclusive. None issued.

1838 to 1865, inclusive. Obverse: Liberty head facing left, hair tied behind, a coronet on the forehead inscribed “LIBERTY,” thirteen stars, and date.

Reverse: An eagle with the United States shield upon its breast, and an olive branch and three arrows in the talons. “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.” Size, 17.

1866. Same, with a scroll above the eagle inscribed “IN GOD WE TRUST.”

Half Eagle.

Authorized to be coined, Act of April 2, 1792. Weight, 135 grains; fineness, 916⅔. Weight changed, Act of June 28, 1834, to 129 grains. Fineness changed, Act of June 28, 1834, to 899.225. Fineness changed, Act of January 18, 1837, to 900.

1795. No. 1. Same type as the Eagle; size, 16.

1795. No. 2. Obverse: Same.

Reverse: An eagle, wings extended upwards, with the United States shield upon its breast, a bundle of thirteen arrows in the right talon, and an olive branch in the left. In its beak, a scroll inscribed “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” Around the head are sixteen stars, and above is a curved line of clouds extending from wing to wing. “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”

1796. Same as No. 1 of 1795; fifteen stars on obverse.

1797. No. 1. Same as No. 1 of 1795.

1797. No. 2. Same, with sixteen stars on obverse.

1797. No. 3. Obverse: Same, with fifteen stars.

Reverse: Same as No. 2 of 1795, sixteen stars around the eagle.

1798. No. 1. Same as No. 1 of 1795, with thirteen stars.

1798. No. 2. Obverse: Same.

Reverse: Same as No. 2 of 1795, thirteen stars.

1799 and 1800. Same as No. 2 of 1795, with thirteen stars on the obverse.

1801. None issued.

1802 to 1806, inclusive. Same as No. 2 of 1795, with thirteen stars on the obverse.

1807. No. 1. Obverse: Same as No. 1, 1795, with thirteen stars.

Reverse: Same as No. 2, 1795.

1807. No. 2. Obverse: Liberty head, facing left; bust, draped, wearing a kind of turban with a band in front inscribed “LIBERTY,” thirteen stars, and date.

Reverse: An eagle, with the United States shield upon its breast, an olive branch and three arrows in the talons. Above, a scroll, inscribed “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” United States of America “5. D.”

1808 to 1812 inclusive. Same as No. 2 of 1807.

1813 to 1815, inclusive. Obverse: Liberty head, facing left, wearing a kind of turban, a band in front inscribed “LIBERTY.” Thirteen stars and date. No shoulders.

Reverse: Same as No. 2 of 1807.

1816 and 1817, inclusive. None issued.

1818 to 1828, inclusive. Same as 1813.

1829. No. 1. Same as 1813; size, 16.

1829. No. 2. Same, but smaller; size, 15.

1830 to 1833, inclusive. Same as No. 2 of 1829.

1834. No. 1. Same as No. 2 of 1829.

1834. No. 2. Obverse: Liberty head, facing left, hair confined by a band inscribed “LIBERTY.”

Reverse: Same as No. 2 of 1807, without the motto “E PLURIBUS UNUM” omitted; size, 14.

1835 to 1838, inclusive. Same as No. 2 of 1834.

1839 to 1865, inclusive. Same type as the Eagle of 1838.

1866. Same type as Eagle of same date.

Three-Dollar Piece.

Authorized to be coined, Act of February 21, 1853. Weight, 77.4 grains; fineness, 900.

1854. Obverse: An Indian head, wearing a crown of eagle feathers, on band of which is inscribed “LIBERTY”—“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”

Reverse: “3 dollars 1854” within a wreath of corn, wheat, cotton, and tobacco. Size, 13.

Quarter-Eagle.

Authorized to be coined, Act of April 2, 1792. Weight, 67.5 grains; fineness, 916⅔. Weight changed, Act of June 28, 1834, to 64.5 grains. Fineness changed, Act of June 28, 1834, to 899.225. Fineness changed, Act of January 18, 1837, to 900.

1796. No. 1. Obverse: Liberty head, facing right, above “LIBERTY”—sixteen stars.

Reverse: Same type as No. 2 half-eagle of 1795, size 13.

No. 2. Same, with no stars on obverse.

1797-1798. Same as No. 1 of 1796, with thirteen stars.

1799-1801, inclusive. None issued.

1802. Same as 1798.

1803. None issued.

1804 to 1807, inclusive. Same as 1798.

1808. Same type as No. 2 half-eagle of 1807, with “2½ D.”

1809 to 1820, inclusive. None issued.

1821. Obverse: Same type as the half-eagle of 1813, size 12.

Reverse: Same type as No. 2 half-eagle of 1807.

1822 and 1823. None issued.

1824-1827, inclusive. Same as 1821.

1828. None issued.

1829 to 1833, inclusive. Same as 1821.

1834. No. 1. Same as 1821. No. 2. Same type as No. 2 half-eagle of 1834, size 11.

1835 to 1839, inclusive. Same as No. 2 of 1834.

1840 to 1865. Same type as the eagle of 1834.

1866. Same type as eagle of 1866.

Dollar.

Authorized to be coined, Act of March 3, 1849. Weight, 25.8 grains; fineness, 900.

1849 to 1853, inclusive. Obverse: Same type as the eagle, without date.

Reverse: “1 DOLLAR 1849” within a laurel wreath, “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.” Size 8.

1854. No. 1, Same. No. 2. Same type as the three-dollar piece, size 9.