Peace Silver Dollars

Peace Silver Dollars

The year is 1921. The Great War is over, and the American economy is booming. The U.S. Mint strikes its last Morgan Silver Dollar and prepares to release a brand-new coin to celebrate a world finally at peace. The Peace Dollar was one of the last circulating 90% silver dollars ever issued in the United States! 

 

Peace Dollars offer a physical tie to America’s past, marking a time when the world hoped for a peaceful future. Keep reading to learn more about the iconic Peace Silver Dollar and to browse our extensive inventory above.

 

History of Peace Silver Dollars

• The United States Mint issued Peace Dollars from 1921-1928, and then again from 1934-1935.
• The United States Mint resurrected the Peace Dollar series starting in 2021 with modern .999 fine silver issues. 
• Peace Dollars were struck from 26.73 grams of 90% fine silver.
• The San Francisco, Denver, and Philadelphia Mints struck Peace Dollars.
• The iconic Peace Dollar design was created by Anthony de Francisci, whose initials “AF” appear on the obverse.

 

During the war, the Germans spread rumors that the British did not have enough silver to back their money, which led to hoarding of the metal. This led the British to ask the U.S. to purchase silver to help stabilize the price. The Pittman Act of 1918 called for the U.S. to melt as much as 350 million silver coins and sell them to the British at $1 per ounce. It also called for replacing that silver with newly mined American silver. Over 270 million Morgan dollars, or almost half the entire mintage, was melted. The law also authorized the production of a new silver dollar, whose design was not specified in the law and could be selected by the Treasury Secretary.

 

Legislation was passed in May 1921 that called the new coin “a peace dollar.” In July, the Commission on Fine Arts suggested a competition be held to design the coin. The United States Mint commissioned Italian-born American coin designer and sculptor Anthony de Francisci to create the new coin’s design. Francisci’s design was selected through a competition that included submissions from some of numismatics’ most prominent designers, including Adolph Weinman and Herman McNeil. Winning the competition greatly boosted de Francisci’s reputation as an     important artist, who until then was largely unknown. His most known work before this was the 1920 Maine half dollar.

 

Design of the Peace Dollar

Peace Dollar Reverse: The reverse of the Peace Dollar features an American Eagle clutching an olive branch in its talons, symbolizing the American Nation’s desire for peace following the end of World War I. The eagle is turned slightly away from the viewer, as if towards a new dawn, hopeful for a peaceful future. Legends on the reverse include “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “ONE DOLLAR,” and “PEACE.”

 

Peace Dollar Obverse: The obverse of the Peace Dollar features a rendition of Lady Liberty, wearing a radiant tiara that closely resembles the one that adorns the Statue of Liberty. Legends on the obverse include the date, Anthony de Francisci’s initials, “AF,” “LIBERTY,” and the phrase, “IN GOD WE TRVST.” The use of a “V” instead of a “U” in “Trust” represents “V” for victory! 

 

Three times fewer Peace Dollars were struck for circulation than their older silver sibling, the Morgan. However, just ten years after the first of these coins rolled off the presses, the U.S. found itself in the depths of the Great Depression. Production of Peace Dollars would cease forever soon afterward.

 

1921 Peace Dollar

1921 Peace Dollars marked the first year of issue for the popular circulating dollar series. Silver Peace Dollars issued in 1921 are particularly notable because they were struck in high relief, allowing the iconic design to stand out in vivid detail. However, the high-relief striking of these Peace Dollars was found impractical for producing a mass amount of coinage intended for circulation, so in 1922 the series transitioned to a standard low-relief strike. The United States Mint struck some 1,006,473 1921 Peace Dollars.

 

1922 Peace Dollar

1922 Peace Dollars feature some of the first in the series to be struck in standard relief. In 1922, after some 35,401 high relief Peace Dollars had been struck, and most melted down by the United States Mint, the series would be struck in standard relief for the rest of its issuance. In 1922 Peace Dollars were struck at the San Francisco, Denver, and Philadelphia Branch Mints.

 

1923 Peace Dollar

1923 Peace Dollars were struck in normal relief at the Denver, San Francisco, and Philadelphia branches of the United States Mint. 1923 Peace Dollars are characterized with the second-highest mintage in the series with 30,8000,000 Silver Peace Dollars struck at the Philadelphia branch, 6,811,000 struck at the Denver branch, and 19,020,000 struck at the San Francisco branch.

 

1925 Peace Dollar

1925 Peace Dollars were struck at just the Philadelphia and San Francisco branches of the U.S. Mint. 10,198,000 1925 Peace Dollars were struck at the Philadelphia Mint, while 1,610,000 were struck at the San Francisco Mint. In 1926, some Peace Dollars were issued with the inscription “GOD” highlighted with high relief. The alleged story goes that John Sinnock, a former United States Mint Chief Engraver, wanted to highlight the concept of God during a time when the United States was amid the Scopes “Monkey Trial,” debating the place of Darwin and evolution in the public discourse. 1925 Peace Dollars are characterized by the word “GOD” being struck in standard relief, as opposed to 1926 issues.

 

1964 Peace Dollar- The Failed Come-back

The Peace Dollar made an attempted comeback in 1964 when 45 million coins were authorized mainly for use in the Western states. The Denver Mint produced 316,076 of the 1964-dated coins starting in May 1965. But later that year, after passage of the Coinage Act of 1965, silver dollar production was prohibited, and all those coins, including the trial strikes, were melted. There have been rumors over the years of 1964-D Peace dollars, but none have surfaced.

 

How Much Silver is in a Peace Dollar?

Vintage Peace Silver Dollars were struck from 26.73 grams of .900 fine silver and .100 fine copper for a total net weight of .77344 ounces of pure silver. The diameter of Peace Dollars is 38.1 millimeters, and they feature reeded edges. Modern Peace Silver Dollars on the other hand, are struck from 26.717 grams of .999 fine silver.

 

Where is the mint mark on a Peace Dollar?

Peace Dollar mint marks can be found on the reverse of the silver dollar below the inscription “ONE,” in “ONE DOLLAR” and above the eagle’s tail feathers. While Peace Dollars were struck at the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco branches of the United States Mint, Philadelphia issues will not carry a “P” mint mark as is tradition. Both Denver and San Francisco struck issues will bear their “D” and “S” mint marks, respectively.

 

Peace Dollar 100th Anniversary

2021 marked 100 years since the issuance of the very first Peace Silver Dollar back in 1921. To celebrate this monumental centennial, the United States Mint released the 2021  Uncirculated Peace Dollars struck in .999 fine silver as opposed to their historical counterparts, which were struck in .900 fine silver. In accordance with the 1921 Silver Dollar Coin Anniversary Act (Public Law 116-286), the responsibility fell upon the Treasury Secretary to commission the creation of special commemorative coins, marking the 100-year milestone of the Morgan and Peace Silver Dollars. The Act stipulated that the 2021 Peace Dollar would mirror the aesthetic qualities of the original 1921 Peace Silver Dollar. Leveraging century-old design elements fused with contemporary coin production methods, the U.S. Mint successfully breathed new life into the humble yet symbolic motifs of the original Peace Dollar. This new silver dollar is the perfect tribute to our historical past while providing numismatists with exquisite design details and even higher silver content than the original Peace Dollar series.

 

2023 Peace Dollar

Following the triumph of the centennial 2021 Peace Dollar, the anticipation for the forthcoming 2023 Peace Dollar is soaring after no coins were issued in 2022 due to a shortage of silver blanks needed to strike them. The initial unveiling of the Uncirculated 2023-P Peace Dollar took place on July 13, 2023, setting the stage for the second year of issue of the modern .999 fine series. Subsequently, the release of the 2023 S-Proof Peace Dollars was August 9, 2023. And later, the dual set of reverse proof 2023 Morgan and Peace Silver Dollars released in the fall of 2023. 

 

The design of the 2023 Peace Dollar pays a glorious tribute to the legendary motifs of its initial blueprint. It elegantly portrays Lady Liberty, the symbol of freedom and hope, on the obverse, while the coin’s reverse gracefully captures the regal bald eagle poised on a rock, clutching an olive branch. Mirroring their 2021 predecessors, these freshly minted silver dollars are crafted from .999 fine silver.

 

2023-S Proof Peace Silver Dollar 

2023 brought the first Proof release in the modern Peace Dollar series which sees the iconic obverse and reverse designs struck with a dazzling mirrored Proof finish. The 2023-S Proofs are notably also the first time the historic San Francisco Mint has ever struck a Peace Dollar with a Proof finish for collectors. 

 

Peace Dollar Conditions

VF-20 Very Fine (VF): Peace Dollars in Very Fine condition are characterized by Liberty’s hair over her ear being well defined, while the hair over the eye may be well worn. The eagle’s feathers on top and the outer edge of its right wing will be somewhat evident.

 

EF-40 Extremely Fine (XF): Peace Dollars in Extra Fine condition often feature strong but somewhat worn hairlines over Liberty’s ear and forehead. The eagle’s feathers on top and its right wing’s outer edge will be detectable but faint.

 

AU-50 About Uncirculated (AU): Peace Dollars in About Uncirculated condition feature minor traces of wear, and while they have full mint luster, they may be somewhat marred by contact marks. 

 

MS 60- Uncirculated: Peace Dollars in Uncirculated condition traditionally feature minimal traces of wear, and while they have full mint luster, they may be somewhat marred by bag abrasions, stains, or other surface marks.

 

Purchasing Peace Dollars from ModernCoinMart!

When you purchase Peace Dollars from ModernCoinMart, you can rest assured that you are working with one of the most trusted dealers in the precious metals industry. ModernCoinMart is also proud to offer FREE domestic shipping on all orders over $199 in addition to the support of our professional and courteous customer service team.