1873 Liberty Seated Silver Dollar. Proof-66+ (NGC). CAC.This is a simply outstanding survivor of the final Proof Liberty Seated silver dollar. A brilliant circle in the center of the obverse is framed in rich steel-olive and mauve-gray patina. Similar toning is evident on the reverse, with the colors completely enveloping that side. Both sides are uniformly full in strike with modest cameo contrast to the finish.<p>As with the two-cent piece, silver three-cent piece and half dime, 1873 saw the final production of silver dollars in the United States Mint. Unlike the smaller denominations, however, the halt in dollar coinage proved temporary with production resuming in even greater numbers in 1878 with passage of the Bland-Allison Act. The demise of the silver dollar in 1873 is linked to the authorization of the trade dollar. The Liberty Seated dollar had not seen domestic circulation since the 1840s, as circulation strikes made during the 1850s, 1860s and early 1870s were used largely in export trade. With the advent of the trade dollar the silver dollar suddenly had no useful purpose, and the denomination was discontinued shortly after passage of the Act of February 12, 1873.<p>In addition to 293,000 circulation strikes, the Philadelphia Mint struck 600 Proof silver dollars in 1873, most of which were distributed as part of silver Proof sets. The discontinuance of this denomination may have resulted in the destruction through melting of some unsold examples. The 1873 is one of the scarcer Proof Liberty Seated dollars of the Motto design type. Gems such as that offered here are rare from a condition standpoint, and this example represents an important offering for advanced collectors.NGC Census: just 1; 0 finer in any category.
