# Christian Gobrecht artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/christian-gobrecht/
Profile generated: 2026-05-23T06:05:06.444Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Nationality: American
- Common media: Coin and medal engraving, Die engraving

## About Christian Gobrecht

Christian Gobrecht (1785–1844) was an American engraver who served as the third Chief Engraver of the United States Mint from 1840 until his death. He is best known for creating the Seated Liberty coin designs, which appeared on U.S. silver denominations for more than five decades and directly influenced the design of the Trade Dollar. His Gobrecht Dollar, struck in limited quantities from 1836 to 1838, became one of the most studied pattern coins in American numismatics and later inspired the Flying Eagle cent. Gobrecht also designed the obverse for the Liberty Head Quarter Eagle, Half Eagle, and Eagle gold coins, as well as the Braided Hair types for the Half Cent and Large Cent. Collectors encounter his work across nearly every denomination of mid-nineteenth-century U.S. coinage.

## Common works and media

Gobrecht's most encountered works in the collector market include Seated Liberty dimes, quarters, half dollars, and dollars; Liberty Head $2.50, $5, and $10 gold pieces; Braided Hair Large Cents and Half Cents; and the scarce Gobrecht Dollar patterns of 1836–1838. Original dies, hubs, and engraved plates also surface occasionally. His designs are found on copper, silver, and gold planchets across proof, pattern, and business-strike production.

## Market and appraisal context

Coins bearing Gobrecht's designs appear frequently at auction, ranging from common-date Seated Liberty halves to rare Gobrecht Dollar patterns and proof gold issues. Value depends on denomination, date, mintmark, condition or grade, mintage, and whether the piece is a proof, pattern, or business strike. The Gobrecht Dollar pattern issues of 1836–1838 command particular attention from specialists. Collectors should note that millions of Seated Liberty coins were produced; scarcity varies dramatically by issue. Attribution to Gobrecht's designs alone does not determine value — specific-issue rarity and certified grade are the primary market drivers.

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine artist identity research from library authority files and public sources with auction records, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are available. For Christian Gobrecht, identity data is grounded in Getty ULAN, VIAF, the Library of Congress Name Authority File, and Wikidata. Market observations draw on the range of Gobrecht-designed coins that appear in public auction results.

## Sources

- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5109648
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Gobrecht
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500077295
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/29398520/
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/nr92027149