Peace Dollar 1921—1935

The Peace Dollar is a silver coin that was minted by the United States from 1921 to 1928 and again in 1934 and 1935. It is considered one of the most iconic and beautiful coins in American numismatic history. Here's a brief overview of its history:

The Peace Dollar was introduced following the end of World War I, with the intention of commemorating the peace achieved after the conflict. The design of the coin featured Lady Liberty on the obverse and a bald eagle perched on a rock on the reverse.

The Peace Dollar was designed by Anthony de Francisci, an Italian-born sculptor. The obverse depicts a profile of Lady Liberty wearing a radiant crown with the word "Liberty" inscribed on it. The reverse features a majestic eagle with its wings spread, perched on a rock, and carrying an olive branch, symbolizing peace. The words "United States of America," "E Pluribus Unum," and "One Dollar" are inscribed on the reverse.

The first Peace Dollars were minted in 1921, replacing the Morgan Dollar design that had been in production since 1878. The coins were initially struck in high relief, which caused production difficulties and required multiple strikes. This led to the decision to lower the relief later in 1922 to facilitate smoother production. The Peace Dollar was minted in Philadelphia (no mintmark), Denver (D), and San Francisco (S).

There are several notable key dates and varieties among Peace Dollars that are highly sought after by collectors. These include the 1921 high relief issue, the 1928 Philadelphia issue, and the 1934 and 1935 issues, which were struck in limited quantities due to the Pittman Act, which required the melting of silver dollars held in government vaults.

The production of Peace Dollars ceased in 1928 due to a provision in the Pittman Act, which mandated the melting of millions of silver dollars to be used in the production of silver bullion for export. However, in 1934 and 1935, a small number of Peace Dollars were minted to fulfill demand for the coin.

The Peace Dollar remains highly popular among coin collectors and investors due to its historical significance, stunning design, and silver content. It is considered a classic and beloved American coin, symbolizing peace and the end of World War I.

It's worth noting that while the Peace Dollar has an official end date of 1935, there have been commemorative issues and reproductions minted.

Key Dates

1921: The first year of mintage for the Peace Dollar. There are two varieties of the 1921 Peace Dollar: the high relief and the low relief. The high relief version is more sought after by collectors.

1928: The Philadelphia Mint struck Peace Dollars in 1928, but the mintage was relatively low compared to other years, making it a key date.

1934: Peace Dollars were not produced between 1929 and 1933 due to the suspension of silver dollar production. In 1934, a limited number of Peace Dollars were minted to replace silver dollars melted under the Pittman Act, making it a key date with low mintage.

1935: The last year of regular-issue production for the Peace Dollar series. The 1935 Peace Dollar is relatively scarce compared to earlier years, contributing to its desirability among collectors.

Apart from these key dates, there are also some other varieties and minor variations within the Peace Dollar series that are sought after by collectors, such as overdates and doubled-die varieties. These varieties may add additional interest and value to the collection.

It's important to note that the mintmarks for Peace Dollars can be found on the reverse side, below the eagle. Mintmarks include "S" for San Francisco, "D" for Denver, and no mintmark for Philadelphia.