The Peace Dollar: A Guide for Coin Collectors
The Peace Dollar: A Guide for Coin Collectors
The Peace dollar is a classic American coin that was minted from 1921 to 1928, and again in 1934 and 1935. This coin was created to commemorate the end of World War I and symbolize peace. Here’s a guide for coin collectors interested in learning more about the Peace dollar.
- History: The Peace dollar was designed by Anthony de Francisci and was introduced in 1921 as a replacement for the Morgan dollar. The obverse of the coin features a portrait of Lady Liberty, while the reverse features an eagle perched on a branch, symbolizing peace. The coin was minted in large quantities, with over one million coins being produced each year during the 1920s.
- Design and specifications: The Peace dollar has a diameter of 38.1 millimeters, a weight of 26.73 grams, and is made of 90% silver and 10% copper. The coin features a reeded edge and is considered to be one of the most beautiful American coins ever produced.
- Mintage and rarity: The Peace dollar was produced in large quantities, but some years and mint marks are rarer than others. The 1928 and 1934-S issues are considered to be the most difficult to find and can command high prices from collectors.
- Grading and condition: The condition and grade of a Peace dollar can greatly impact its value. Coins that are in excellent condition and have minimal wear are more valuable than those with heavy wear and damage. A coin’s grade is determined by a professional grading service and ranges from Poor to Mint State.
- Investment potential: The Peace dollar, like all precious metals, can be a good investment due to its inherent value as a tangible asset. However, the value of the coin can be affected by supply and demand, market conditions, and other factors. It’s important to research the market and seek advice from a professional before investing in any type of coin.
The Peace Dollar was known to be the last Silver Dollar Coin of the United States to be minted for circulation and used as legal tender. These were struck and minted from 1921-1928, but because there were changes in legislation, the Peace Silver Dollar was again minted for another two years in 1934-1935.
This beautiful Silver Dollar Coin serves to commemorate the victory of the United States in World War 1. The Peace Silver Dollar was proposed, created, and minted as a replacement for the Morgan Silver Dollar Coin in the same year that the latter was discontinued.
One can attest that Peace Silver Dollars are the type of Silver Coins that are very rare due to their limited number. The fact that these Silver Dollar Coins were produced in the shortest amount of time and had the most unconventional mintage period in the history of a currency of the United States makes them a valuable find.
Another reason why the Peace Silver Dollars remain popular among coin collectors is that it serves to be one of the only silver currencies left, not to mention the last genuine silver dollar coin ever minted.
The Historical Background of the Peace Silver Dollar Coin
The Peace Silver Dollar Coin stands proudly for being the only coin ever struck that was created and minted with the active participation of numismatists. To better understand how the famous coin came to be one of the most sought-after coins by collectors, there are events that need special mentioning.
The Pittman Act of 1918
On April 23, 1918, a Democratic senator from Nevada, Senator Key Pittman passed the bill that aims to authorize the US Department of Treasury to melt and convert a total of 350 million standard Silver Dollar Coins into silver bullion. The US sold the melted Silver to Britain, then replaced the melted Silver Dollar coins by purchasing newly mined Silvers.
The Pittman Act of 1918 was created to financially assist the Great War in Europe. Since wars are costly because of the many finances and expenditures, there was an insufficient supply of Gold. However, the United States had lots of Silver Dollars in circulation and the fact that there was an overflow of silver thanks to the Comstock Lode made it possible for the US to help Britain.
The Germans spread nasty rumors that targeted Great Britain in 1918. They claimed that Great Britain can no longer back up their British Silver Certificates, and it proved to work in favor of the Germans. India experienced a direct hit and resulting in a monetary crisis. The British then sought the help of the US by attempting to buy silver bullion. And since the US is an ally of Greta Britain, they passed the bill now known as the Pittman Act of 1918.
The Pittman Act of 1918 paved the way for melting a huge amount of Silver Dollar Coins which were mostly Morgan Silver Dollars. The melted silver was sold to Great Britain as Silver Bullion, and now the US needs a new Silver Dollar Coin to compensate for the lost Morgan Silver Dollar Coins.
To say mining companies were thrilled was an understatement. Because every Silver Coin melted needed to be replaced with a new one from newly mined Silver, this resulted in an immediate and massive need for Silver. This event was known as “The 19th Century Silver Rush”, and because silver can be shoveled literally from the ground in Nevada, it was called the Silver State. Each newly mined silver was purchased by the US Department of Treasury at $1 per troy ounce no matter what the current price of Silver is in the international market.
The Suggestion of the Peace Silver Dollar Coin
Frank Duffield, a coin expert, issued an article that was published in The Numismatist in November 1918. In the said article, he suggested that a new coin needs to be created in order to commemorate the victory of the US during World War 1.
Two years later, Farran Zerbe, another coin expert made a suggestion that was similar to Duffield’s. Zerbe stated that a new commemorative coin is in order to celebrate peace. His reason was simple – since the US gave up its Silver to aid Britain, a new coin must be minted to celebrate the victory and peace.
The American Numismatic Association then began persuading the government and US Mints to produce the Peace Silver Dollar Coin, and although hearings were held in late 1920 and early 1921, no action was made to create the suggested commemorative coin. After some time, the advocates of the peace commemorative coin decided a Congress hearing was not necessary. With the new Pittman Act, the Peace Coin can easily replace the Morgan Silver Dollar Coin.
The Making of the design of the Peace Silver Dollar Coin
A US Commission of Fine Arts member, James Earle Fraser sent out personal letters to a list of people who were selected to submit their designs for the new Peace Silver Dollar Coin in November 1921. Some of the people who received an invitation to enter the contest were Adolph Weinman, Anthony de Francisci, Chester Beach, Henry Hering, Herman MacNeil, John Flanagan, and Victor Brenner. George Morgan, the current Chief Engraver at the United States Mint and designer of the Morgan Silver Dollar Coin was requested by Raymond Baker – the Mint Director at that time, to submit his design for the new Peace Silver Dollar Coin to which he obliged. A man that was only known as Mr. Folio also submitted an unsolicited design for the new coin.
The recipients were given less than a month to submit their designs which included the words LIBERTY, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, In God We Trust, and E Pluribus Unum as well as the One Dollar denomination. The head of Miss Liberty will appear on the obverse of the coin and needs to be portrayed in a beautiful and full-of-character manner. As for the reverse side of the Peace Silver Dollar Coin, an Eagle needs to be featured in accordance with the Coinage Act of 1792.
After careful assessment, a 34-year-old engraver named Anthony de Francisci won by a unanimous decision. The other participants received $100 each while de Francisci received $1,500. De Francisci made a few changes upon the request of Director Baker before it was presented to President Harding. Upon examination, President Harding requested to remove a small dot found on Miss Liberty’s Face as it looked like an inappropriate dimple. De Francisci explained that the dot was more of an artistic touch rather than a dimple. However, Harding claims the dimple on Miss Liberty’s chin does not express peace. The final design of the new peace coin was finally produced after adjustments were made.
The Controversies that Surrounded the Peace Silver Dollar Coin
During a Mint press release of the Peace Silver Dollar, controversy struck almost immediately. Some have described the reverse side of the coin to have “a large figure of an eagle perched on a broken sword.”
New York Herald, a very influential newspaper during the time the Peace Silver Dollar was issued became an advocate against the broken sword. The newspaper claimed a broken sword signifies surrender and defeat. Because of Herald’s influence and many agreed on the allegation, the Mint had de Francisci remove the broken sword from the design.
The problem is, the Peace Silver Dollar Coin had a tight schedule and cannot afford to delay production. Also, the coin hub was already created, which meant the Mint had to physically remove the sword from the coin hub itself. But thanks to George Morgan’s expertise, he was able to remove the unwanted broken sword using very fine engraving tools and extreme magnification. He, however, faced a difficult challenge since he had to create a detailed background to make the changes possible. Nonetheless, he proved his expertise when the Peace Silver Dollar Coin was issued, and the public failed to realize that the coin was altered too late during production.
If there is one aspect that was not criticized and was actually applauded by the critics, it was de Francisci’s depiction of Miss Liberty. Reports have been made that both the public and the critics agreed that de Francisci’s Miss Liberty is the best portrait among all other coins ever minted in the history of US coinage. A Philadelphia newspaper even once wrote that “Miss Liberty had never looked better,” which, for sure gratified the de Francisci couple.
With only four days left before 1921 comes to an end, the new Peace Silver Dollar Coins were minted. The US Mint claims they were able to create more than a million Peace Silver Dollar coins, but many thought it was impossible since the Mint only have less than a week to mint those many coins in 1921. Because of this, historians believe that most of the 1921 Peace Silver dollar Coins were actually minted in early 1922.
The Peace Silver Dollar Coin faced another controversy after the dies used to mint them kept breaking, and it’s only been two weeks since the production started. One issue was that the new Silver Coin was a very high-relief coin, which meant great pressure is needed to make sure the deep design is minted. De Francisci finally agreed to reduce the relief after this and the Mint official’s effort to resolve the problem without altering the design came to a dead end.
De Francisci used a Janvier Pantograph-Late to reduce the size of the Peace Silver Dollar Coin by preparing plaster models that he revised himself. However, since no one in the US Mint was an expert when it comes to operating the complicated machinery, experts believe the end product which was a low-relief Peace Silver Dollar could have looked better with an experienced Janvier Pantograph-Late operator.
The Use and Production of the Peace Silver Dollar Coin
Much like the Morgan Silver Dollar Coins, the new silver Coin was famous among people living in the Western US. However, ever since the production and release of dollar bills, more people believed that such big, bulky, and heavy Silver Coins were not convenient. As a result, most Peace Silver Dollar Coins stayed in vaults.
The first Peace Dollars minted were produced in the Philadelphia Mint during the last week of December 1921 and were issued in January of the following year.
The Peace Silver Dollar Coin was minted and issued yearly from December 28, 1921, up until 1928, when the Silver secured from the Pittman Act of 1918 ran out. The Peace Dollar made a comeback after a short-term Act passed by Congress required the buying of Silver in 1934. By the year 1936, no Peace Silver Dollar Coins were minted, so Mint Officials made the big decision of getting rid of the master dies used in producing the coins.
1964 came and the Congress yet again passed new legislation that paved the way for the production of new Silver Dollar Coins in the Mint in the West. Mint officials were able to recover a couple of the dies used in the production of the Peace Silver Dollar coin, but these were not in great shape, so new dies were necessary to aid the production. 45 million Silver Dollar Coins were produced.
The Peace Dollars produced in 1964 were called “Trial Strikes.” There was an uproar that resulted in the new Peace Silver Dollar Coin which would not really benefit the US was announced in 1965 in the month of May. Coin dealers took advantage of this and immediately bought each coin for $7.50 mainly because of their high silver content.
Consequently, the newly minted 1964 Peace Silver Dollar coins never made it to circulation. The US Mint had to organize a press release in order to simmer down the controversy. They claimed that the new Peace Silver Dollar Coins were never minted for circulation – that the 300,000 coins were meant to be “trial strikes.” This is the reason why the new Peace Dollar was also called Peace Silver Dollar “Trial Strikes” Coin.
A New Congressional Act of 1965 forbade the production of Peace Dollars for at least five years, and the 1964 Peace Silver Dollar “Trial Strikes” Coins were melted down. As of today, there is no known new Peace Dollar to exist.
The Peace Silver Dollar Coin Specifications
The Peace Silver Dollar Coins were minted in three US Mints – Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. The mintage dates for this Silver Dollar Coin are dated 1921-1935. No Peace Silver Dollar Coin was minted from 1929 to 1933.
The Mint Marks for the coins minted are coded as “D” for those produced in Denver and S for those produced in San Francisco. Coins minted in Philadelphia bear no Mint Mark. One can easily find the Mint Mark on the reverse side of the coin – just below the “ONE” in ONE DOLLAR and just above the tail of the Eagle.
The Peace Silver Dollar Coin is composed of 90% Silver and 10% Copper. It weighs about 26.73 grams and the actual weight of Silver found on the Peace Silver Dollar Coin weighs about 0.7734 Troy Ounces of Silver. It is about 38.10 mm in diameter and 2.40mm thick, and the edges are reeded. It is important to note that the Peace Silver Dollar Coins minted in 1921 were produced to have a higher relief that the succeeding issues.
The Obverse
Anthony De Francisci was the designer of both the obverse and reverse sides of the Peace Silver Dollar Coin. For the obverse, he features the head of Miss Liberty facing left, who was wearing a diadem of spikes. The word LIBERTY has been engraved above while the date was situated below Miss Liberty. The words IN GOD WE TRUST were situated near Miss Liberty’s neck – with IN GOD WE located on her neck, and the word TRUST on her nape.
A fun fact about de Francisci’s design was the model he used as Miss Liberty. He had asked his wife, Teresa de Francisci to pose as Miss Liberty and that’s where he based his obverse design for the Peace Silver Dollar Coin. According to the newlywed engraver, he wanted to portray a Miss Liberty that was different from the Morgan Dollar. He wanted her to look more youthful, and reflect a sense of vitality.
The Reverse
For the reverse, Anthony de Francisci featured a proud Eagle that was perched on a rock and was clutching on a Laurel branch. The word PEACE is inscribed below the Eagle, while the words the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and E PLURIBUS UNUM are engraved above the Eagle in the form of an arc. The word ONE can be seen near the Eagle’s tail while the word Dollar is situated on the opposite side of ONE.
Peace Silver Dollar Coins By Date, Mintage Rates, and Mint
The 1921 Peace Dollar – Minted in Philadelphia with 1,006,470 pieces produced.
Note: Fully struck Peace Dollar coins minted in 1921 always have a high premium, are considered very rare, all are high-rise relief and have 10 or fewer proof mintage in matte proof.
The 1922 Peace Dollar – Minted in Philadelphia with 35,401 pieces produced.
Note: The regular-relief 1922 Peace Dollar in higher grades or condition is slightly scarcer than those minted in 1923, 1924 and 1925. The high-relief 1922 Peace Dollar is the rarest among all major varieties of the Peace Dollar.
The 1922-D Peace Dollar – Minted in Denver with 15,063,000 pieces produced.
Note: Many 1922-D Peace Dollars exist in bags. There was even a hoard of 50 bags found in the 1990s
The 1922-S Peace Dollar – Minted in San Francisco with 17,475,000 pieces produced.
Note: One can easily find a 1922-S Peace Dollar in all conditions except high grades and those that are well-struck in the Mint
The 1923 Peace Dollar – Minted in Philadelphia with 30,800,000 pieces produced.
Note: If you’re looking for the most common Peace Dollar, look for the 1923 Peace Silver Dollar Coin.
The 1923-D Peace Dollar – Minted in Denver with 6,811,000 pieces produced.
Note: Most 1923-D Peace Dollars found in mint state conditions have heavy bag marks, while high-grade one that is well-struck are hard to find.
The 1923-S Peace Dollar – Minted in San Francisco with 19,020,000 pieces produced.
Note: The 1923-S Peace Dollar is very commonly found in low-mint conditions and is almost always struck poorly. Those in MS-65 grade and higher have a great rarity.
The 1924 Peace Dollar – Minted in Philadelphia with 11,811,000 pieces produced.
Note: The 1924 Peace Dollar, together with those issued in the years 1922, 1923, and 1925 are the most common issues. However, the 1924 Peace Dollar found in mint condition is harder to find that the three.
The 1924-S Peace Dollar – Minted in San Francisco with 1,728,000 pieces produced.
Note: Most 1924-S Peace Dollars in mint condition have bag marks.
The 1925 Peace Dollar – Minted in Philadelphia with 10,198,000 pieces produced.
Note: The 1925 Peace Dollar, together with those issued in the years 1922, 1923, and 1924 are the most common issues. However, the 1925 Peace Dollar has the most number of Peace Silver Dollar Coins to have a higher mint condition.
The 1925-S Peace Dollar – Minted in San Francisco with 1,610,000 pieces produced.
Note: Most 1925-S Peace Dollars have extensive contact marks, are struck lightly, or both.
The 1926 Peace Dollar – Minted in Philadelphia with 1,939,000 pieces produced.
Note: Most 1926 Peace Dollars in Mint state have very attractive surface areas
The 1926-D Peace Dollar – Minted in Denver with 2,348,700 pieces produced.
Note: Lustrous and good-grade 1926-D Peace Dollar are fairly easy to find
The 1926-S Peace Dollar – Minted in San Francisco with 6,980,000 pieces produced.
Note: The 1926-S Peace Dollar is one of the more available peace dollars issued in uncirculated grades.
The 1927 Peace Dollar – Minted in Philadelphia with 848,000 pieces produced.
Note: The 1927 Peace Dollar in the mint state usually is struck well in Philadelphia, and has a very attractive appearance.
The 1927-D Peace Dollar – Minted in Denver with 1,268,900 pieces produced.
The 1927-S Peace Dollar – Minted in San Francisco with 866,000 pieces produced.
Note: One will find it hard to find a 1927-S Peace Dollar MS-65 condition, but are readily available in the lower mint state.
The 1928 Peace Dollar – Minted in Philadelphia with 360,649 pieces produced.
Note: It has the lowest number of minted Peace Dollars from 1921-1935.
The 1928-S Peace Dollar – Minted in San Francisco with 1,632,000 pieces produced.
Note: One will find it hard to find a 1928-S Peace Dollar MS-65 condition, but are readily available in the low mint state.
The 1934 Peace Dollar – Minted in Philadelphia with 954,057 pieces produced.
Note: The 1934 Peace Dollar is, for some reason, unappreciated in the market even though they are readily available in mint condition.
The 1934-D Peace Dollar – Minted in Denver with 1,569,500 pieces produced.
Note: The 1934-D Peace Dollar is known to be the second rarest minted in Denver in mint state, and is the rarest minted in Denver in MS-65 grade.
The 1934-S Peace Dollar – Minted in San Francisco with 1,011,000 pieces produced.
Note: If you’re looking for the key Peace Dollar ever issued in Mint state, the 1924-S Peace Dollar is what you seek.
The 1935 Peace Dollar – Minted in Philadelphia with 1,576,000 pieces produced.
Note: Those 1935 Peace Dollars in mint state are usually well-struck and have a beautiful silky luster.
The 1935-S Peace Dollar – Minted in San Francisco with 1,964,000 pieces produced.
Note: Most 1935-S Peace Dollars we have today are well-struck, have a very attractive appearance, and have silky luster. There are many of these babies around that everyone can have their own.
The 1964-D Peace Dollar – Minted in Denver with 316,076 pieces produced.
Note: Struck in 1965, no 1964-D Peace Dollars were ever released to the public. All were supposedly destroyed by melting, and not a single piece was spared as a token for the National Coin Collection. However, there were reports that some lucky collectors indeed have a 1964-D Peace Dollar as their most prized Peace Dollar.
Collecting Peace Silver Dollar Coins
In collecting Silver coins, larger coins do contain a higher amount of silver. Starting with a Peace Dollar is a great way to kick-start your silver coin collection. For one, you only need 24 combinations of all Peace Silver Dollar Coins to complete the collection.
Historically speaking, the value of the Peace Silver Dollar Coin increases every year. Most Peace Dollars are only worth their Silver content especially those with well-worn appearances. If you have Peace Silver Dollar Coins and want to make money by selling your collection, it is important to note that if the date you plan on selling them has a relatively high silver price, expect to receive only the amount of your coins’ silver content.
The market for Silver is continuously expanding, and for coin collectors and enthusiasts, this is definitely great news, especially for those who have Silver Dollar Coins with high Silver content. Even though the Peace Silver Dollar Coin was struck for only a few years, the series is still popular among coin collectors because it has its fair share of rarities and varieties.
When purchasing or selling Peace Silver Dollar Coins from coin dealers, the price value of circulated and uncirculated coins have a huge difference. The offer you will receive from the coin dealer or the price that the coin dealer will offer you in exchange for your silver coin will depend on some factors like the following:
- The condition or grade of the coin
- The demand for that particular coin
- The surviving number of coins
- The intrinsic metal melt value of the coin
- The amount of inventory that a dealer currently has
A complete collection of the Peace Silver Dollar Coins will consist of 24 different issues. Your collection must have all Peace dollars minted from the three US Mints (Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco) and should have dates from 1921-1935.
It is important to remember that Peace Silver Dollar Coins were either well struck or not, circulated or uncirculated and that some were struck using worn-out or deteriorating dies which altered the appearance of the coin. Some have a grainy appearance, some have metal blobs while others have cracks on one side of the coin. Also, the 1921 series were all high-rise Peace Silver Dollar Coins. The 1922 Peace Dollars also have a high-relief business strike, and the rest are low-rise coins.
All mint marks of coins can easily be distinguished with a D for Coins minted in Denver, and S in San Francisco while those minted in Philadelphia bear no mint mark. If you’re looking forward to collecting Peace Silver Dollar Coins in Key dates, look for Peace Dollars in circulated grades minted in Philadelphia in the year dated 1928. Another key date to look for is the uncirculated Peace Dollars struck in San Francisco in the year 1934.
There were some people who took advantage of the Peace Dollar’s popularity by altering some of the coins to make them look like the rare series. For example, mint marks were removed from a certain coin collection in order to trick collectors into thinking they got a more valuable coin, but the truth is, these have lower prices. If you plan to start your coin collection, be aware of such tactics.
Peace Silver Dollar Coins Collecting Guide
If you’re just beginning to collect coins and have made up your mind about collecting the Peace Dollars, it is best to start your journey by knowing which ones you need to collect first. For beginners with low budgets, it is best to buy Peace Silver Dollar coins minted in the Philadelphia Mint from 1922 to 1925.
Why? The reason is simple. 1922, 1923, 1924, and 1925 Peace Dollars are easy to obtain, cost less than other series, and are readily available in good and higher grades. 1922, 1923, 1924, and 1925 Peace Dollars issued by the Philadelphia Mint are the four of the most common Peace Silver Dollar Coins. However, it is said that the 1924 Peace Dollar in Mint State is the scarcest among the group.
Once you’re done collecting the series, you can now move up by collecting Peace Silver Dollar Coins that costs more than your first collection, and once you’re ready, go for the rare ones which can actually cost a lot.
However, if you’re one of the more adventurous ones, you can start collecting Peace Silver Dollar coins on from 1934-S and the like. Different coin collectors have different views, opinions, and ways of collecting coins. Note that there is really no right or wrong or even a standard way of coin collecting. It all depends on your budget, time and effort, luck, and way of searching.
When it comes to rarity, coin collectors will agree that the traditional rarity of Peace Silver Dollar Coins will be the ones issued in 1928 in the Philadelphia Mint. With only 360,649 coins issued, its scarcity makes it one of the most expensive Peace Dollars even in a worn-out condition. However, there are other Peace Dollar Coins that were able to pass this series when it comes to uncirculated values in high levels.
There are a number of Peace Dollars in Satin Finnish, Matte Proof, and other proofs in special striking that collectors need to be wary of. Some of these are considered phony even if they have authentication proofs or letters from experts.
Top 7 Most Valuable Peace Silver Dollar Coins
For coin collectors who are serious when it comes to Peace Silver Dollar Coins, these are the 6 coins deemed valuable among the other series.
- The 1921 Peace Dollar (Philadelphia Mint)
The very first batch of Peace Silver Dollar Coins ever minted on December 26, 1921, in the US Mint located in Philadelphia. The 1921 Peace Dollar was struck with very high relief. The production proved to be difficult and the succeeding coins were minted as low-relief coins. This resulted in the 1921 Peace Dollar as the only issued Peace Silver Dollar Coin with very high relief.
The mint rate for this series may be low but can easily be collected in grades up to MS-64. The total mintage rate of the 1921 Peace Dollar was 1,006,470. It bears no mint mark as these were minted in the Philadelphia Mint.
- The 1922 Peace Dollar (Philadelphia Mint – Die Break in Reverse Field)
Mint workers in Philadelphia failed to recognize that one of the dies used was a deteriorating die. As a result, the reverse side of the coin sported a blob of metal found just above the word DOLLAR and just below the Eagle. Because of this error, this series was included among the top VAM varieties of Peace Dollars.
- The 1922 Peace Dollar (Philadelphia Mint – Die Break at Ear)
This time, mint workers in the Philadelphia Mint failed to check that the obverse die was deteriorating which caused a crack in Miss Liberty’s hair just behind her ear. Coin collectors call this variety as the “Ear Ring” as it can easily be recognized thanks to the metal protrusion that cuts on Miss Liberty’s ear, running down to her neck.
- The 1928 Peace Dollar (Philadelphia Mint)
The Great Britain Depression took a toll on the economy of the United States. This resulted in a lack of coin demand. Consequently, this series has the lowest number of Peace Silver Dollar Coins struck – only 360,649 were coined during 1928. From 1929 to 1933, no Silver Dollar Coins were minted. Some Peace Silver Dollar Coins minted in San Francisco were altered to look like they were from Philadelphia. The Mint Mark S was removed. Coin collectors must be wary of such coins as they have a much lower value.
- The 1934-D Peace Dollar (Denver Mint – Doubled Die Obverse)
The demand for coins started to rise as no coins were stuck from 1929-1933. With the pent-up demand, The Mint in Denver started to strike double-die obverse Peace Silver Dollar Coins. The D in GOD and W in We are doubled. Not only that but the rays of the sun found on the right side of the coin and Miss Liberty’s profile are also doubled. The total number of Peace Silver Dollar coins with Doubled-Die Obverse remains a mystery, but one thing is for sure. These die series are sought after by expert coin collectors rather aggressively, which speaks volumes for itself.
It is also important to note that the 1934-D Peace Dollar is the rarest Peace dollar minted in Denver in MS-65.
- The 1934-S Peace Dollar (San Francisco Mint – Doubled Die Obverse)
This Peace Silver Dollar Coin ranks fourth when it comes to the series with the lowest coin mintage. Uncirculated versions of this specific Peace Dollar prove to be a challenge because of a low mintage rate. This resulted in some forgeries wherein coins struck at the San Francisco Mints by having their mint mark removed while adding this to a 1934 Peace Silver Dollar Coin minted in Philadephia. If you’re one of the lucky ones who happen to come across this 1934-S Peace Dollar with a Doubled Die Obverse, have it checked by an authentic grading service?
- The 1964-D Peace Dollar (Denver Mint)
If you want the most controversial Peace Silver Dollar Coin, then the 1964-D Peace Dollar is what you’re looking for. Among all modern issues, this is the most famous of them all. This series is very special to the point where PCGS or the Professional Coin Grading System is offering a whopping $10,000 to anyone who shows them an authentic 1964-D Peace Dollar and has it authenticated. The reason is fairly simple yet striking – all 316, 076 Peace Silver Dollar Coins struck in the Denver Mint in the year 1964 were all supposedly destroyed and were never released for circulation.
Prices of the Peace Silver Dollar Coins
One can buy Peace Silver Dollar Coins starting at $24 for the most common varieties while the rarest one, the high-relief 1922 Peace Dollar, are sold by dealers as high as $400,000 in Matte Finish.
For a price guide of the Ike Dollars, you may check the list on PCGS here.
In conclusion, the Peace dollar is a classic American coin that holds historical significance and is highly sought after by collectors. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced collector, understanding the history, design, and rarity of this coin can help you make informed decisions and build a valuable collection.
If you would like to buy 1921 Peace Dollar you can do it here: Buy 1921 Peace Dollar
You will find this article interesting: The Morgan Silver Dollar
References:
PCGS, PCGS CoinFacts, NGCCoin, The Spruce Crafts, PeaceDollars
Featured Image Source: PAR at English Wikipedia, Peace dollar, Size by Bonnie Mattie, CC BY-SA 4.0