Q. David Bowers
Henry Chapman's sale of the Clarence S. Bement Collection, May 29, 1916, included some Proof Liberty Seated dollars. What was called "Proof' by Mehl and certain of his contemporaries, in describing early 1840-1857 dates, often was not what modern cataloguers would designate as such. Today, many such pieces surviving in original envelopes or with notations are properly graded as prooflike AU or Uncirculated or, often, polished AU (sometimes deeply toned). Because of this, auction data indicate that early Proofs came on the market more often than they really did.
1840 Proof, slightly hairmarked. $22.00.
1847 Br. Proof $35.00.
1857 Proof, very slight hair marks. Sharp stars. $3.75.
1859 Br. Proof, slightly hair marked. $1.25.
1862 Proof, slightly hair marked. $1.25.
1864 Br. Proof, slightest hair marks. $1.25.
1865 Br. Proof $1.25.
1866 Br. Proof $2.00.
1871 Proof, slightly hair marked. $1.20.
1872 Proof, slightly hair marked. $1.20.
Henry Chapman's sale of the Daniel Houpt, Van Buskirk & Bruce Collections, March 14-15, 1917, included a so-so group of early Liberty Seated dollar dates and a run of later Proofs.
1840 VF. Minute nick in field. $1.35.
1840 VG $1.15.
1844 VF $1.25.
1848 VG $1.30.
1848 VF $1.40.
1850 VF $1.35.
1853 EF $1.70.
1854 Fine. Minute abrasion in field. $4.00.
1855 VF $3.50.
1856 VG $1.60.
1857 Proof, not very brilliant. Stars slightly weak. $4.00.
1859 Br. Proof $1.46.
1860 Br. Proof $1.45.
1861 Br. Proof $2.05.
1862 Br. Proof $1.50.
1863 Br. Proof $1.50.
1863 Fine $1.10.
1864 Br. Proof $1.45.
1865 Br. Proof $1.45.
1866 Br. Proof $1.45.
1867 Br. Proof $1.45.
1867 Br. Proof $1.35.
1868 Br. Proof $1.45.
1869 Br. Proof $1.45.
1870 Proof. Stained around date. $1.35.
1871 Br. Proof $1.45.
1872 Br. Proof, slightly hair marked. $1.40.
1873 Br. Proof $1.45.
Thomas L. Elder's sale of April 13-14, 1917, offered miscellaneous Liberty Seated dollars:
1841 Liberty Seated. VF $1.40.
1842 EF $1.40.
1843 EF $1.35.
1844 VF $1.30.
1845 EF $1.55.
1846 Almost Unc.; some lustre. $1.35.
1847 EF $1.50.
1847 EF $1.30.
1850 EF $2.00.
1855 VF $3.50.
1861 Unc. $2.25.
1870-CC AD $8.00.
The H.O. Granberg Collection sold by B. Max Mehl, July 16, 1919, included the following Liberty Seated silver dollars-a first rate offering with many notable pieces:
1840 Semi-Proof, almost a Br. Proof $3.30.
1841 Sharp and nearly a perfect Proof, bright mint lustre. $2.00.
1841 Unc., sharp, frosty mint surface. $2.80.
1842 Unc., semi-Proof surface. $2.00.
1843 Brilliant mint Unc. $2.50.
1844 Proof $10.00.
1844 VF. Considerable mint lustre. $1.95.
1845 VF $1.15.
1846 Practically Unc., mint lustre. $1.75.
1846-O VF $1.50.
1849 Bright Unc. $3.10.
1850 Br. Proof $5.25.
1850-O Practically Unc., bold impression. $1.55.
1851 Perfect Br. Proof, sharp with wire edge. $72.00.
1852 Magnificent Br. Proof, perfect in every respect, wire edge. $83.00.
1853 Proof. Very slightly rubbed in field. $10.00.
1854 Br. Proof. A very slight hardly noticeable hairline scratch on obverse. $8.25.
1857 Semi-Proof $2.50.
1858 Perfect Br. Proof, sharp. $31.00.
1859-O Unc., mint lustre. $1.15.
1859-O Unc., bright mint lustre. $2.00.
1859-S Practically Unc., considerable mint lustre. $2.50.
1860-O Unc., Proof surface. $1.40.
1863 Br. Proof $2.60.
1868 Sharp Br. Proof $1.60.
1870-CC Unc. with proof surface. $6.30.
1870-CC EF, with some mint lustre. $5.25.
1871-CC Strictly Fine $20.00.
1871 Sharp Proof $2.00.
1872 Proof $1.60.
1872-CC Unc, Sharp, with considerable mint lustre. $9.45.
1872-S VF $2.25.
1873 Proof $1.80.
1873-CC VF, sharp. $11.00.