1854 the US Mint issued the redesigned gold dollar with an increased diameter of 15 mm. As planned, neither its weight nor its composition was changed. The Type II Gold Dollar was struck from 1854 to 1856.
James Longacre designed a new obverse for the coin based on his work with the three-dollar piece. The head depicted on the obverse has commonly been described as an “Indian princess,” and gave this type its name. However, historians have suggested that the design is actually based on a Roman marble figure, to which a headdress was added by Longacre. More specifically, it has been suggested that he based the design on “Crouching Venus” a statue on display in the Philadelphia museum.
Specifications:
Designer: James Barton Longacre
Mintage: All Years 1,633,426 Proofs – Less than 35
Denomintion: $1.00
Diameter: ±14.3 millimeters
Metal content: Gold – 90% Copper – 10%
Varieties: Reeded
