Once again silver dollars were issued for circulation with the start of the series of Liberty Seated Dollars. Mintages were impacted at one point by the rising price of silver, which made the coins melt value exceed their face value. For two years, just over 1,000 silver dollars were struck, and instead the United States Mint produced more than one million of the newly introduced gold dollars.
First struck in 1840, the Seated Liberty Dollars carried the new composition of 90% silver and 10% copper that had been adopted for silver coins during the interim. Production would continue until the enactment of the Mint Act of 1873. In addition to the Philadelphia Mint, the mint facilities at New Orleans, San Francisco, and Carson City would also strike the silver dollars.
There were a total of 45 different date and mint mark combinations for the series. Although it must be noted that one of the issues, the 1870-S Liberty Seated Dollar, had no reported production. It is presumed that 12 coins were struck to mark the occasion of the ground breaking for the San Francisco Mint. Another issue of the series, the 1873-S Liberty Seated Dollar, had a reported mintage of 700, although no examples are known exist.
Liberty Seated Dollar Notes:
- The lowest reported mintage—for any U.S. coin which is known to exist—occurs for the 1852 Liberty Seated Dollar. The mintage was a mere 1,100.
- In 1851 and 1852, Liberty Seated Dollars were struck with high date on the obverse and restrikes were issued. These restrikes are included in the mintages for 1851 and 1852.
- Only Proof versions were struck for the 1858 Liberty Seated Dollar, with 210 pieces struck.
- The highest reported mintage for the series occurred in 1872, with the Philadelphia Mint producing 1,105,500 coins.
- Total reported production across all circulation dates is 6,487,747. Of this amount, the Philadelphia Mint was responsible for producing 5,465,463 coins.
Liberty Seated Dollar Mintages:
| Issue | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1840 | 61,005 |
| 1841 | 173,000 |
| 1842 | 184,618 |
| 1843 | 165,100 |
| 1844 | 20,000 |
| 1845 | 24,500 |
| 1846 | 110,600 |
| 1846-O | 59,000 |
| 1847 | 140,750 |
| 1848 | 15,000 |
| 1849 | 62,600 |
| 1850 | 7,500 |
| 1850-O | 40,000 |
| 1851 | 1,300 |
| 1852 | 1,100 |
| 1853 | 46,110 |
| 1854 | 33,140 |
| 1855 | 26,000 |
| 1856 | 63,500 |
| 1857 | 94,000 |
| 1858 Proof | 210 |
| 1859 | 255,700 |
| 1859 Proof | 800 |
| 1859-O | 360,000 |
| 1859-S | 20,000 |
| 1860 | 217,600 |
| 1860 Proof | 1,330 |
| 1860-O | 515,000 |
| 1861 | 77,500 |
| 1861 Proof | 1,000 |
| 1862 | 11,540 |
| 1862 Proof | 550 |
Liberty Seated Mintages Continued:
| Issue | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1863 | 27,200 |
| 1863 Proof | 460 |
| 1864 | 30,700 |
| 1864 Proof | 470 |
| 1865 | 46,500 |
| 1865 Proof | 500 |
| 1866 | 48,900 |
| 1866 Proof | 725 |
| 1866 No Motto | 2 Known |
| 1867 | 46,900 |
| 1867 Proof | 625 |
| 1868 | 162,100 |
| 1868 Proof | 600 |
| 1869 | 423,700 |
| 1869 Proof | 600 |
| 1870 | 415,000 |
| 1870 Proof | 1,000 |
| 1870-CC | 11,758 |
| 1870-S | 12 Estimated |
| 1871 | 1,073,800 |
| 1871 Proof | 960 |
| 1871-CC | 1,376 |
| 1872 | 1,105,500 |
| 1872 Proof | 950 |
| 1872-CC | 3,150 |
| 1872-S | 9,000 |
| 1873 | 293,000 |
| 1873 Proof | 600 |
| 1873-CC | 2,300 |
| 1873-S | 700 |
