The 1804 Liberty silver dollar was commissioned in 1834 as part of diplomatic gifts to foreign dignitaries such as the Sultan of Muscat and the King of Siam. These coins were specially struck by the U.S. Mint at the request of President Andrew Jackson after diplomat Edmund Roberts reported that the gifts given to foreign rulers were inadequate.
The coins were backdated to 1804, aligning with a year that many believed had seen regular minting of silver dollars, even though none were actually struck that year.