The Gold Liberty Head Dollar first appeared in 1849, immediately preceeding the Gold Indian Head Dollar. Designed by James Barton Longacre, the gold Liberty head dollar was actually composed of 90% gold. (The remaining 10% was a combination of silver and copper.)

The obverse of the coin depicts Lady Liberty facing left, wearing a small crown. The word "LIBERTY" appears on the crown's side. The only other feature on the coin's obverse is a series of thirteen six-pointed stars encircling the portrait of Liberty. The coin's reverse portrays a simple wreath encircling "1 DOLLAR". The year of minting appears just below the word "DOLLAR", and encircling most of the reverse is "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA".

At a diameter of 12.7 millimeters, the Gold Liberty Head Dollar is the smallest coin in United States history, dwarfed by even the Lincoln Penny which measures 19 millimeters in diameter.

The design was abandoned in 1854.


United States Coinage

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