December 2022 marks the 186th anniversary of the first appearance on our coins of the famous Seated Liberty design. After the dull and uninspired silver coinage of the preceding decades, it was a breath of fresh air in the marketplace. The true beginning of the story, however, goes back some years.
During the early 1830s, Congress debated the wisdom of creating additional mints. In March 1835, Congress decreed that three more such institutions were needed, at New Orleans, Charlotte and Dahlonega. Because of this expansion, Mint Director Dr. Samuel Moore decided that an additional engraver was needed to handle the increased workload. He settled on Christian Gobrecht.
Gobrecht was born in Pennsylvania in 1785 and early in life had shown an inclination towards artistic and engraving work. Apprenticed to a clock-maker at an early age, he perfected his engraving skills on ornamental watch designs. In 1811, he moved to Philadelphia and began work for a bank note firm. As early as 1816, his name was well known in engraving circles. It seems he began his die engraving work about this time, although there are no signed medals until the mid-1820s.
When Chief Engraver Robert Scot died in November 1823, Gobrecht applied for the position but was turned down in favor of William Kneass who had better connections, in particular a friendship with Chief Coiner Adam Eckfeldt.
Despite not obtaining the engraver’s post, Gobrecht maintained a connection with the Mint in several ways. He made letter punches for the engraving department in January 1825 and also executed some Liberty heads that, unfortunately, were not used on the coinage.
In mid-June 1835, about two weeks before
