Dollar Value

As Thomas Jefferson prepared to take office as the third President of the United States in early 1801, a small number of silver dollars minted just months earlier circulated through a nation still finding its footing. These 1800 Draped Bust dollars—bearing the likeness of Liberty with flowing hair—passed through the hands of citizens who had…

As President John Adams navigated the young nation through the undeclared Quasi-War with France, a silver disc bearing Liberty’s classical profile was struck at the Philadelphia Mint. The year was 1799, and while most Americans would never see this coin in circulation—its bullion value already exceeding its face value—these silver dollars would become silent witnesses…

Liberty in Silver: The Dollar That Witnessed a Nation’s Growth The sound of metal striking metal echoed through the Philadelphia Mint on an ordinary day in 1798. A newly struck silver dollar fell into the collection bin, its gleaming surface bearing the likeness of Liberty with flowing hair—a coin that would survive wars, depressions, and…

As President George Washington penned his historic Farewell Address in September 1796, a new silver dollar was finding its way into the pockets of American citizens—a coin that would become one of the most prized early federal issues among today’s collectors. The 1796 Draped Bust dollar represents more than just currency; it embodies a pivotal…

A Revolution in American Coinage On a cold December morning in 1795, the first Draped Bust dollar coins slid down the delivery chutes at the Philadelphia Mint, landing with a distinctive ring that would echo through American numismatic history. Chief Engraver Robert Scot’s new design—reportedly based on a portrait of Philadelphia socialite Ann Willing Bingham—represented…

The Birth of America’s First Silver Dollar On a brisk autumn day in October 1794, the newly established United States Mint delivered a shipment of coins that would forever change American numismatics. Among the wagon’s contents were 1,758 silver dollars—the very first dollar coins ever struck by the United States federal government. One of these…

On a sweltering Philadelphia summer day in 1795, a small team of men worked the coin presses at the newly established United States Mint, striking what would become one of America’s most coveted numismatic treasures. As these silver discs tumbled from the press, none could have imagined that more than two centuries later, a single…