1 Dollar '1879 Goloid Metric Dollar' Pattern, Aluminium

The Goloid Metric Dollar was the invention of Dr. Wheeler Hubbell, who patented a gold-silver-copper alloy in 1878 and lobbied Congress aggressively to have it adopted as the basis for U.S. coinage. The appeal was that the alloy's metallic value could be precisely calibrated to face value — solving, in theory, the chronic problem of coins being hoarded or melted when bullion prices shifted. Congress was sufficiently intrigued to authorize the Mint to produce pattern strikes for evaluation.

The aluminum version, Judd-1629, was struck not for monetary consideration but for distribution to legislators and assay committee members. Hubbell's campaign ultimately failed; the Goloid standard was never adopted.