2 1/2 Dollars, Proof, United States, 1821
date: label: Date made
content: 1821
name: label: mint
content: U.S. Mint, Philadelphia
label: designer
content: Reich, John
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: One (1) 2 1/2 dollar coin, proof
label: Description (Brief)
content: United States, 1821
label: Description (Brief)
content: Obverse Image: Left-facing Liberty head wearing cap surrounded by 13 stars along coin edge.
label: Description (Brief)
content: Obverse Text: LIBERTY / 1821
label: Description (Brief)
content: Reverse Image: Eagle with wings outstretched clutching arrows and branch in talons, shield on chest. Scroll above eagle.
label: Description (Brief)
content: Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / E PLURIBUS UNUM / 2 1/2 D.
label: Description
content: United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Capped head of Liberty facing left, stars around, date below. Reverse: Eagle, motto above, denomination below. In this design, Robert Scot's pedestrian head replaced John Reich's more artistic design of 1808. This coin is one of a handful of proofs struck in this year and in those years immediately after. Proof coins are specimen strikes for the record, for sale or trade, or for distribution to dignitaries in presentation sets. Proof coinage did not become popular or plentiful in the United States until after the Civil War. Therefore, proofs like this one that date from as early as the 1820s and 1830s are among America's most legendary coins.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place of issue
content: United States
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: National Numismatic Collection
label: See more items in
content: Coins, Currency and Medals
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: Glossary of Coins and Currency Terms
label: Related Web Publication
content: http://americanhistory.si.edu/coins/glossary.cfm
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. Mint
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1985.0441.0178
label: catalog number
content: 1985.0441.0178
label: accession number
content: 1985.0441
objectType: label: Object Name
content: coin
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: gold (overall metal)
label: Physical Description
content: 0 (overall die axis)
label: Physical Description
content: 0 (overall die axis measurement)
label: Physical Description
content: struck (overall production method)
label: Measurements
content: overall: .1 cm x 1.8 cm; 1/32 in x 23/32 in