As a date, the 1876 gold dollar is rare in either business strike or proof format. Only 3,200 coins were struck for circulation with an additional 45 pieces produced for collectors as proofs. As minute as 45 pieces sounds, it is actually the largest number struck during the decade of the 1870s. Taglione speculates that more were produced in this year because of the expected demand for 1876-dated coinage by individuals in search of Centennial memorabilia. However, probably no more than a couple of dozen proofs of this date are still extant today in all grades.