Greysheet Catalog Details (GSID: 72403)
Trade dollars were struck from 1873 through 1885 and specifically intended to circulate in Asia alongside other similarly sized silver coins from other nations. Trade dollars were legal tender in the United States, but their status as freely circulating legal-tender coins was modified over the years as silver prices and other economic factors influenced the situation.

William Barber designed the Trade dollar, which portrays a seated Miss Liberty on the obverse and an eagle on the reverse. Often, circulated Trade dollars are found with various Asian merchant marks, which are colloquially referred to as ?chop marks? by many in the coin realm.

The most common Trade dollars are those from the mid 1870s. In 1879, the United States Mint began striking Trade dollars only in proof, and these issues are quite scarce, with the 1885 as the rarest with a mintage of just 5 pieces. While dealers and collectors should be wary of encountering forged examples of any coin, Trade dollars are especially notorious for being counterfeited. Raw specimens of any date and grade should be scrutinized carefully before purchase.
Obverse: Lady Liberty is seated on a stone wall, facing left, with an olive branch in her extended right hand and a ribbon bearing the word LIBERTY in her resting left hand. IN GOD WE TRUST us carved into the base and her seat is otherwise adorned with a bundle of wheat. 13 stars adorn the periphery with the date at the lower middle.
Reverse: An eagle is centered in the design with the weight of the coin listed below as "420 GRAINS. 900 FINE." The words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and TRADE DOLLAR adorn the top and bottom periphery with a ribbon stating the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM above the eagle's head. The mint mark (if any) is positioned below the eagle and weight text, above the "E D" of TRADE DOLLAR.

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