There have been one dollar coins in the United States since 1794, when the flowing hair silver dollars were first used in circulation. From the point of view of modern collecting, the one dollar coin history of the U.S. provides a huge number of great collectible items with a huge and impressive variety. Collectors go about collecting dollar coins in different ways. Whichever way you choose, it’s always a great time to add to (or start) your one dollar coin collection.
For most of their history, the American one dollar coin was made mostly of silver. This changed in the 1970s, when it had become financially unrealistic to use silver. So this means that if you’re collecting dollar coins pre-1970s you’re trading in the classic American tradition of silver coinage.
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One Dollar Coin List of Types
- Flowing Hair Dollar – Made in 1794. The first American dollar coins hold a special place in the heart of American coin collectors for obvious reasons.
- Draped Bust Dollar – 1795 to 1804. It showed Liberty with a cloth-draped bust. These would be the last dollar coins for several years. In 1835, the U.S. Mint produced a few more draped bust coins, backdated as 1804. These are very, very rare.
- Gobrecht Dollar – Designed by one Christian Gobrecht and showing Liberty sitting down on the obverse.
- Seated Liberty Dollar – 1840 until 1873. A kind of enhancement of the Gobrecht design.
- Trade Dollar – Intended for use in Asia.
- Morgan Dollar – Designed by George Morgan and minted between 1878 and 1904. The Morgan dollar was again followed several years of no new dollar coins from the U.S. Mint. In 1921 a final Morgan dollar was restruck.
- Peace Dollar – Minted each year from 1921 to 1935. Followed by several decades of no new dollar coins in circulation.
- Eisenhower Dollar – Appeared in 1971. Had reduced silver content; it would be issued through 1978.
- Susan B. Anthony Dollar – Issued from 1979 to 1981 initially. Proved unpopular although it has supporters in the collecting world now. At the time it was considered too similar to the quarter and the public found it confusing. A final Susan B. Anthony dollar was struck in 1999.
- Silver Eagle Dollar – Begun in 1986. Still struck each year.
- Sacagawea Dollar – The U.S. Mint was hoping for success with this new dollar coin but it again proved unpopular. Nevertheless, Sacagawea dollars continue to be made each year, now sporting a new reverse design each year.
- Presidential Dollar – A series begun in 2007 that saw four new $1 coins each year honoring a different U.S. President.
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There are thousands of great one dollar coin U.S. sales at any one time in online marketplaces. American coin collecting is a truly huge hobby and any coin you can think of for your collection is nearly always available at any given time. Only the rarest and most obscure will be hard to locate. Of course, finding the one dollar coin you need in the right condition and at the right price might take some patience, and/or some negotiating and collecting savvy.
But filling the holes in your United States one dollar coin collection can be a lifelong pursuit that never gets old. It will continue to teach you about the history of America and her coins, and introduce you to new trusted vendors and hobbyists who share your passion. Good luck building the collection of U.S. dollar coins that you can be proud of!
