Maker Info
Christian Gobrecht
Christian Gobrecht, born in 1785 in Hanover, Pennsylvania, was the third Chief Engraver of the United States Mint.
Gobrecht apprenticed in Manheim, Pennsylvania before working as a clockworks engraver in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1811 Gobrecht moved to Philadelphia to join the engraving firm of Murray, Draper, Fairman, and Company. In 1823 Gobrecht, having been offered the job as assistant director of the United States Mint, wrote to President James Monroe to request an appointment as Chief Engraver, but the job went to William Kneass.
Gobrecht became assistant to Kneass in 1835. Upon Kneass's death in 1840, Gobrecht took over at Chief Engraver.
Gobrecht made the patterns and dies for the Gobrecht Dollar, minted from 1836 to 1839. He also produced the Seated Liberty Dollar, which remained active until 1891.
Gobrecht was also an inventor, designing a talking doll, the medal-ruling machine, and a kind of melodeon.
Gobrecht died in 1844.
