Semi-Numismatic

$1 Liberty Head Gold Dollar Type 1 (Damaged)

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In the middle of the nineteenth century, the United States Mint introduced a diminutive gold coin that would circulate widely during a transformative era in American history. This tiny treasure, containing 0.0483 troy ounces of pure gold, features a classic profile of Liberty on its obverse. Facing left, her hair is bound by a band clearly inscribed with her name, while a ring of thirteen stars encircles the portrait to represent the original colonies. The reverse of the coin is dedicated to its utility, proudly displaying the denomination of 1 Dollar and the specific year of issue. Curving along the upper border is the inscription United States of America. Because vast numbers of these gold dollars were melted down in subsequent decades, surviving examples offer a tangible connection to a bygone monetary system, even when they bear the unique marks and wear of a long-circulated life.