1851 Gold Liberty Dollar Pendant
An original 1851 gold Liberty Dollar. With the head of Liberty facing left encircled by 13 stars representing the original US states, the little Liberty Dollar - designed by James B Longacre - has a remarkable story. Although a gold dollar coin had been proposed numerous times over the decades following independence, it wasn't until the California Gold Rush of 1849, and its resulting supply of gold, that the idea was actually realised. And it really was just as well for the USA...
The Californian gold rush of 1849 transformed America. It directly injected tens of billions of dollars (today’s money) into a faltering economy, drew over 300,000 people from all over the world, and propelled California towards fully-fledged statehood. The story, on many levels, encapsulates the ‘American Dream’ - although many who participated in the rush, known as ‘forty-niners’, left with little to show for their graft. The going was notoriously tough, and large nuggets like these were relatively scarce after the first couple of years.
This is a type 1 Liberty Dollar, with Liberty depicted wearing a coronet. They were in production between 1849 and 1854, and this one was minted in Philadelphia. Gold Rush gold as legal currency.
Era: Victorian, 1851
Size: 12.9mm
Weight: 1.9 grams
Marks: N/A, jump ring is 9ct gold
Condition: Good antique condition; light wear consistent with age.
Full appraisal document provided with each item.
This includes a valuation for insurance purposes, item specifics, date, and origins (where applicable).
Gemstones are tested by an accredited gemmologist (Cert GA, Gemmological Association of Great Britain).
Shipping
DHL Express shipping is free of charge on international orders over £300 and it's carbon offset
Tracked and insured with signature on delivery
RM Special Delivery (UK domestic)
US Shipments
US Customs no longer charges a 10% tariff on antiques shipped from the UK. We will ensure that our parcels are correctly declared using the relevant HTS codes to qualify for the tariff exemption and zero-rated (0%) duties so you won't have any customs fees to pay at the border. You will remain liable for any handling/storage fees charged by DHL as a result of a delay in providing any additional customs information.
[Last updated: September 2026]
Resizing
Ring sizing is available on most rings
£55 flat fee
Resizing takes 7-14 days
Leave a note at checkout with your desired size
Note: sizing may remove some of the patina (although we take every care to reduce this where possible)
Layaway
25% deposit taken to secure the item. The remaining balance will be settled in 90 days. You can pay installments weekly, monthly, or the full balance at the end - whatever works.
Condition
We offer detailed and accurate condition reports on each listing. These pieces are antique, vintage, or pre-loved and often over 100 years old so they're going to have lived a life. A healthy patina and the odd scuff or scrape is quite normal... it's part of their charm! Everything we present has been checked over by our jeweller and should be good for wear for many years to come (unless otherwise stated) but please remember to treat them with appropriate care and consideration for their age.
Buying a Gift?
Leave a note at checkout and we'll include a handwritten note to the recipient. Just tell us what you'd like to say :)
More Questions?
Get in touch... There's a live chat at the bottom right of the page.
info@lostowl.com