Hobbies Coin Collecting U.S. Coin Values Guide

Seated Liberty Silver Dollar Values and Prices

Discover the Value of Your Liberty Seated Silver Dollars

Seated Liberty Silver Dollar Uncirculated

Heritage Auction Galleries

Seated Liberty silver dollars are classic American coins that collectors value for their beauty and their history. Due to their low mintage and extremely low survival rate, these coins are valuable in any condition.

History of the Seated Liberty Dollar

The United States Mint minted Liberty Seated silver dollars from 1836 until 1871. The Director of the United States Mint, R. M. Patterson, tasked engraver Christian Gobrecht to prepare a pair of dies based upon designs by Tomas Sully and Titian Peale.

The obverse motive features Lady Liberty seated holding a shield and a pole with a phrygian cap. Thirteen stars encircle lady liberty around the rim of the coin and the date is at the bottom underneath Lady Liberty. The reverse features an eagle clasping an olive branch and some arrows. United States encircles the top of the coin with the denomination specified as "ONE DOL."

Christian Gobrecht's initial designs included his first initial and complete last name on the obverse of the coin. The mint produced less than 2,000 of these coins. By the time the mint began production for circulation use in 1840, the design did not include his name on the coin.

 Key Dates, Rarities, and Varieties

The following Seated Liberty silver dollars in any condition, are worth considerable more than common Seated Liberty silver dollar. As such, these coins are frequently counterfeit or altered from common Seated Liberty silver dollar. Therefore, before you start celebrating your early retirement with your new found fortune, have the coin authenticated by a reputable coin dealer or third party grading service.

  • 1851
  • 1852
  • 1866 Without Motto (Only two specimens are known to exist)
  • 1870-S (Only 12 to 15 specimens are known to exist)
  • 1873-CC
  • Any specimen in uncirculated condition

Condition (or Grade) Examples

Circulated Seated Liberty silver dollars will exhibit wear across the entire surface of the coin. Details will be lacking on Lady Liberty's head, torso, and legs.

Seated Liberty Silver Dollar Circulated
Seated Liberty Silver Dollar Circulated

Heritage Auction Galleries, Ha.com

If your Liberty Seated silver dollar is uncirculated, the surfaces will be pristine, and all detail will be sharp and crisp.

Seated Liberty Silver Dollar Uncirculated
Seated Liberty Silver Dollar Uncirculated

Heritage Auction Galleries, Ha.com

Mint Marks

The United States Mint produced Seated Liberty silver dollars at four different mints using three different mint marks: Philadelphia (no mint mark), New Orleans (O), Carson City (CC) and San Francisco (S). The mint mark on the Seated Liberty silver dollar is located on the reverse of the coin, just below the eagle and above the denomination "One Dollar."

Motto vs. No Motto

At first, Seated Liberty silver dollars did not have the motto "In God We Trust" on the reverse of the coin. In 1866 the motto was added to the reverse of the coin on a flowing ribbon above the eagle. There are two known specimens of 1866 Seated Liberty silver dollars without the motto. The difference between the Without Motto (1840-1866) and With Motto (1866-1873) is obvious.

Seated Liberty Silver Dollars Average Prices and Values

Below you will find the buy price (what you can expect to pay to a dealer to purchase the coin) and sell value (what you can expect a dealer to pay you if you sell the coin). First, locate the date and mint mark (see the photo above) on your coin. Next, determine if your coin is circulated or uncirculated. These are approximate retail prices and wholesale values. The actual offer you receive from a particular coin dealer will vary depending on the actual grade of the coin and some other factors that determine its actual worth.

Date & Mint Circ. Buy Circ. Sell Unc. Buy Unc. Sell
Without Motto
1840 $310 $150 $11,200 $8,200
1840 Proof - - $19,400 $13,300
1841 $290 $150 $4,600 $3,300
1841 Proof - - $76,000 $52,000
1842 $280 $130 $3,100 $2,200
1842 Proof - - $31,000 $21,000
1843 $270 $140 $4,200 $3,000
1843 Proof - - $30,000 $21,000
1844 $320 $150 $8,000 $5,800
1844 Proof - - $28,000 $19,000
1845 $310 $175 $16,800 $12,200
1845 Proof - - $24,000 $16,000
1846 $290 $150 $4,200 $2,900
1846 Proof - - $19,000 $13,100
1846-O $350 $160 $12,700 $8,800
1847 $290 $140 $3,900 $2,700
1847 Proof - - $18,500 $12,900
1848 $450 $230 $8,200 $5,700
1848 Proof - - $24,000 $17,000
1849 $300 $160 $4,400 $3,000
1849 Proof - - $27,000 $18,000
1850 $550 $260 $10,000 $7,300
1850 Proof - - $19,000 $12,800
1850-O $440 $230 $19,700 $13,200
Date & Mint Circ. Buy Circ. Sell Unc. Buy Unc. Sell
1851 * $9,700 $4,900 $54,000 $36,000
1851 Original Proof - - $33,000 $22,000
1851 Restrike Proof - - $29,000 $19,000
1852 * $8,800 $4,200 $58,000 $39,000
1852 Original Proof - - $34,000 $23,000
1852 Restrike Proof - - $29,000 $19,000
1853 $350 $200 $4,800 $3,200
1853 Proof - - $39,000 $27,000
1854 $1,600 $800 $11,700 $7,900
1854 Proof - - $14,800 $10,100
1855 $1,100 $600 $21,000 $14,000
1855 Proof - - $14,600 $9,700
1856 $440 $210 $7,800 $5,700
1856 Proof - - $9,500 $6,400
1857 $500 $300 $5,600 $4,100
1857 Proof - - $8,300 $5,600
1858 $5,000 $2,500 $14,000 $10,100
1858 Proof - - $12,500 $8,500
1859 $300 $175 $4,600 $3,100
1859 Proof - - $3,600 $2,500
1859-O $290 $140 $3,200 $2,300
1859-S $520 $260 $18,200 $12,100
1860 $300 $150 $3,300 $2,400
1860 Proof - - $3,500 $2,400
1860-O $270 $140 $2,900 $2,000
Date & Mint Circ. Buy Circ. Sell Unc. Buy Unc. Sell
1861 $900 $400 $5,000 $3,600
1861 Proof - - $3,700 $2,600
1862 $690 $350 $5,000 $3,600
1862 Proof - - $3,400 $2,400
1863 $530 $270 $4,900 $3,400
1863 Proof - - $3,300 $2,400
1864 $460 $220 $6,300 $4,200
1864 Proof - - $3,600 $2,700
1865 $380 $200 $5,800 $4,000
1865 Proof - - $3,700 $2,600
1866 Proof Only * - - $1,300,000 $900,000
Without Motto Type Coin $270 $130 $2,800 $2,000
Proof Without Type Coin - - $3,200 $2,200
With Motto
1866 $300 $160 $3,400 $2,500
1866 Proof - - $3,000 $2,200
1867 $320 $170 $4,000 $2,800
1867 Proof - - $2,900 $1,900
1868 $280 $160 $5,100 $3,600
1868 Proof - - $2,700 $1,800
1869 $300 $160 $4,200 $2,800
1869 Proof - - $3,000 $2,200
1870 $280 $150 $3,200 $2,200
1870 Proof - - $2,900 $1,900
1870-CC $1,000 $500 $33,000 $24,000
Date & Mint Circ. Buy Circ. Sell Unc. Buy Unc. Sell
1870-S * $140,000 $70,000 $1,100,000 $800,000
1871 $310 $160 $3,200 $2,200
1871 Proof - - $2,900 $2,000
1871-CC $3,700 $1,900 $150,000 $100,000
1872 $270 $140 $3,100 $2,100
1872 Proof - - $2,900 $2,100
1872-CC $2,800 $1,400 $56,000 $40,000
1872-S $540 $280 $24,000 $17,000
1873 $290 $140 $3,100 $2,200
1873 Proof - - $3,100 $2,200
1873-CC * $7,800 $3,800 $150,000 $100,000
With Motto Type Coin $280 $130 $2,800 $2,000
Proof With Motto Type Coin - - $2,800 $2,000
Complete
Date-Mint Set

Total Coins: 45
$200,000 $125,000 $1,800,000 $1,200,000
Complete
Date-Mint Set

Total Coins: 44
No 1870-S
$55,000 $30,000 $700,000 $500,000
Complete
Date Set

Total Coins: 34
$36,000 $20,000 $250,000 $175,000