United States Dollar Coins

Value Overview by Series

These figures are broad approximate ranges for common-date circulated dollar coins within each series. In addition, each series' dedicated guide lists complete date-by-date values and key dates.

Every U.S. Dollar Coin Series

The dollar denomination spans a long run of major design types across its 230-year history, from the large silver dollars of the early Mint through the small-size Susan B. Anthony dollar that followed the Eisenhower. Click any series below for a dedicated guide with date-by-date values, key dates, and grading information.

Gobrecht Dollars

1836–1839 — Christian Gobrecht's pattern coins and the origin of the Seated Liberty design.

Seated Liberty Dollar

1840–1873 — No Motto and With Motto types, Carson City rarities.

Trade Dollar

1873–1885 — Struck for Asian commerce, chopmarked examples, secret proofs.

Morgan Dollar

1878–1904, 1921 — The most collected U.S. silver dollar series.

Peace Dollar

1921–1935 — Commemorating the end of World War I, the 1928 key date.

Eisenhower Dollar

1971–1978 — America's last large dollar coin, silver and Bicentennial issues.

Dollar Error Coins

Mint errors and varieties across every dollar series.

Susan B. Anthony Dollar

1979–1981, 1999 — The first small-size dollar, with the 1979-P Wide Rim and 1981-S Type 2 varieties.

The History of the U.S. Dollar Coin

The dollar has a far more interrupted history than most other U.S. denominations, and its production gaps shape the story as much as the coins themselves. After the Coinage Act of 1792 made the dollar the nation's monetary unit, modeled on the Spanish eight reales, the Mint struck its first dollars in 1794: Flowing Hair pieces designed by Robert Scot. Production then continued through 1803. However, the Mint never actually struck the famous "1804" dollar that year. Instead, it produced the coins bearing that date in the mid-1830s as diplomatic gifts for Asian rulers. After that, regular dollar coinage went dormant for more than three decades.

The denomination has seen at least four major production gaps since 1794. First, the Mint struck no dollars between 1804 and 1836, when the Gobrecht Dollar pattern issues restarted limited production. A second gap opened after the Seated Liberty Dollar ended in 1873 and lasted until the Morgan Dollar began in 1878, although the Trade Dollar filled part of that window for Asian commerce rather than domestic use.

Next, Morgan Dollar production halted completely from 1905 to 1920 because the silver surplus from the Sherman Silver Purchase Act had run out. Finally, the Mint struck no standard silver dollar at all between 1936 and 1970. Only the abortive 1964-D Peace Dollar revival, which the Mint melted in full, interrupted that 34-year gap before the Eisenhower Dollar arrived in 1971. In short, these gaps explain why certain "missing" dates don't exist and why the denomination's design history reads more like a series of restarts than a continuous evolution.

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Silver Content Across the Series

The Mint struck every dollar coin from 1794 through 1935 in 90% silver, so each one holds roughly 0.7734–0.7736 troy ounces of pure silver depending on the series and weight standard. As a result, even the most common circulated Morgan or Peace Dollar carries real melt value well above face value at current silver prices. The Eisenhower Dollar, however, broke this pattern. Its circulation strikes from 1971 onward contain no silver at all, since they are copper-nickel clad. In contrast, special collector versions from 1971–1974 (plus the 1975–1976 Bicentennial issue) use a reduced 40% silver composition, with approximately 0.3161 troy ounces per coin.

In other words, date and series recognition tells you nearly everything about a dollar coin's baseline bullion value. Any dollar dated 1935 or earlier is 90% silver. An Eisenhower Dollar, on the other hand, is either silver (S-mint, sold in special packaging) or clad and worth little more than face value. Also, no dollar coin made for circulation after 1971 contains any silver unless the Mint marked it as a special silver collector issue. For that reason, this simple framework is the fastest way to judge a found or inherited dollar coin's baseline worth before considering any numismatic premium.

Collecting the Dollar Denomination

The dollar's dramatic, gap-filled 230-year history makes it one of the most rewarding denominations for type collectors. For example, a complete type set with one example of each major design (Flowing Hair, Draped Bust, Gobrecht, Seated Liberty, Trade, Morgan, Peace, and Eisenhower) tells the story of American monetary policy through eight distinct chapters. Because common-date Morgan and Peace Dollars are widely available and affordable, most collectors can build a solid type set without chasing the rarest key dates. Still, the earliest series (Flowing Hair, Draped Bust, Gobrecht) command significant premiums even in circulated grades because they are genuinely scarce.

For collectors focused on silver content, pre-1936 dollar coins offer a straightforward way to build meaningful silver holdings while keeping numismatic character. In fact, worn non-collectible examples often trade as "junk silver" in the bullion market. In addition, PCGS and NGC both grade dollar coins across every series, and certification matters more as a coin's value rises. In particular, authentication is essential for the 18th- and 19th-century types and for well-documented rarities such as the 1804 Dollar, 1870-S Seated Liberty, and 1885 Trade Dollar, given the high stakes and documented counterfeiting risk.

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