Vintage Silver Coins

The United States Mint has been issuing silver coins since 1792. While some of their most innovative and recognizable pieces have been released in recent years, many of their vintage silver issues are attractive to collectors, not only for their precious metal content and beautiful designs, but also for their historical significance. Old coins from bygone eras provide a physical connection with the past and the people who would have used, or collected, them on a regular basis.  This Vintage Silver category will feature classic collectible American coinage that ranges from the mighty Morgan Dollar to special commemorative issues and even circulating coinage. Keep reading below to learn about the many Vintage Silver product options waiting to be added to your collection.

Do They Still Make Silver Dollar Coins?

Although silver dollar coins are still minted to this day, like the One Dollar Silver Eagle for example, after 1935, no silver dollar coins were struck by the U.S. Mint and issued into general circulation. This “silver dollar drought” almost ended in 1964 with new legislation, however, none were released to the public.  It wasn’t until 1971 with the production of the Eisenhower copper-clad and silver-clad dollars. This coin not only was the first circulating silver coin since 1935, but it also marked the first time a portrait of a U.S. president was authorized to appear on a circulating dollar coin.

The Bicentennial Dollar was minted in 1975 and 1976 and was akin to the Eisenhower Dollar, with the sole exceptions of the dual-date addition of 1776-1976 on the obverse and the extensive change of the reverse design. Following the celebration, the original design of the Eisenhower Dollar returned to circulation and was struck again in 1977 and 1978, but this time only with a copper-nickel clad version.

Subsequent designs of the dollar coin continued to be issued into circulation from 1979-2011. Since 2012, dollar coins have only been minted and issued as numismatic/collector items.

How Rare Is a Silver Dollar Coin?

When it comes to finding old silver dollar coins that were issued for circulation, certain issues can be fairly valuable and difficult to find depending on the year and variety someone may be searching for and wanting to collect.

Some of the most iconic and avidly collected  U.S. silver dollars are the Morgan Silver Dollar, the Peace Dollar, and the Eisenhower Dollar as the three together represent 100 years of U.S. silver dollar coinage.

Morgan Silver Dollar Coins

Morgan Silver Dollars, struck from 1878-1904, and then again in 1921, are one of the most popular large Silver Dollars released by the United States Mint. Designed by the legendary George T. Morgan, these old coins would have circulated during the days of the American frontier. This category generally features a wide variety of Morgans, both raw and graded. Some of these vintage Morgan Dollars feature special pedigrees like the Great Montana Collection or the remarkable New York Bank Hoard pedigree.  These Morgan Silver Dollars are also available in various sets featuring coins from a specific mint, like the world famous Carson City facility, the rough-and-tumble New Orleans Mint or the fabled Gray Lady herself, the San Francisco Mint.

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The Peace Dollar and Vintage Commemorative Coins

Other vintage silver coins include the iconic Peace Dollar, available in options including  raw and third party-graded Mint State examples. Designed by Anthony de Francisci, these classic silver dollars saw America go from a booming economy in the 1920s to the depths of the Great Depression in 1935. This category will also feature a stunning selection of Classic American silver commemoratives dating from 1892 when the coins of the Columbian Exposition were struck to the final classic U.S. vintage silver commemorative, the 1954 half dollar celebrating Booker T. Washington and George W. Carver. Of course, GovMint.com also offers all the other halves in the series, including the classic coins commemorating the Oregon Trail, Stone Mountain, the American Sesquicentennial and others, as market conditions allow.

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Vintage Coins Sets

In addition to offering historic silver dollars, this category is also where you will find vintage sets commemorating a specific year or historical event, like the Korean War, World War 2 or the Stock Market Crash of 1929.  These sets will consist of coins that circulated at the time giving collectors a feel for what the average American had in their pocket at the time. These sets could consist of 90% circulating silver coins or of corresponding copper cents and nickels that were circulating at the time.  The appeal of old silver coins  lies within the stories they tell of America through the ages. Whether you are looking for Seated Liberty silver coins in all denominations from the 19th Century, the popular Barber Dimes, Quarters and Halves or the breathtaking Walking Liberty and “Mercury” designs of Adolph Weinman and the timeless Standing Liberty series from Hermon MacNeil, the vintage silver section has something for you.

Other Vintage Silver

This vintage silver section may contain other old silver coins that are more familiar designs, like those from the classic Washington Quarter, the Roosevelt dime for your birth year sets for beloved elders, as well as early American Classics like Capped Bust coinage, and more!

This vintage silver category also contains spectacular items from our Scarce and Unique Coin Division. These items can include often hard to find early American coins like the Flowing Hair dollar, vintage medals and low mintage rarities.

Collecting Vintage Silver Coins

There are a variety of ways to collect old silver coins. You can collect silver vintage coins by:

• Year
• Mint mark
• Time period
• Series and type set
• Error coins

When it comes to “why collect,” generally speaking, silver has historically been a cheaper metal compared to gold, making silver coins a relatively affordable way to begin any collection. Silver also has a beautiful look that makes for some of the most popular among silver collector coins. Take the American Silver Eagle, for example; this iconic coin is arguably one of the most popular among silver coin numismatists and collectors and has been since its debut in 1986. The Morgan Silver Dollar is also another very popular and avidly collected old silver coin that was minted from 1878 to 1904 before making a resurgence in 1921 when it was last minted.

Buy Vintage Silver Coins at GovMint.com

GovMint.com is one of the top authorities with U.S. coinage, no matter the year, and has been serving the industry for over 30 years. We are one of the largest distributors of collectible coins and currency issues in the United States. As a private retailer, we are not affiliated with the U.S. government or U.S. Treasury.  Through our various endeavors, we have been able to provide collectors like you with leading-edge product introductions and new innovations within the collecting field. 

GovMint.com is an authorized dealer for coins that are authenticated, certified, and graded by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) and Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS). We are a resource you can trust!