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Welcome to Silver Dollar Finder!
This website focuses on
collecting Morgan and Peace series silver dollars and gold and silver
bullion. At the request of visitors, a feature has been added for
modern dollar coins. This site serves as a quick reference and
bidding tool for buying online using the table to the right. The links to
common auction searches will save time by avoiding the need to
manually retype searches. It also contains general background
information on silver dollars and coin grading for those new to
numismatics.
Morgans were minted from
1878 to 1904 and again in 1921.
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Silver Dollars
Despite their age, most dates of Morgan and Peace dollars can be
acquired in excellent condition for reasonable prices, making it possible
to build an extensive collection.
The Morgan design was used
from 1878 to 1921, followed by the Peace design from 1921 to 1935.
Silver dollars were minted in large quantities during this
era largely to satisfy silver mining interests. Then as
now, dollar coins were not popular with the public. As a result,
most of the dollars sat in government vaults, used to back circulating
silver certificates. Yet most of these coins no longer
exist - millions were melted during both World Wars in response to a
silver shortage and in the 1960's due to rising silver
prices. As a result, the total surviving population of many dates
and mint marks is much lower than the original mintage figures.
Many coins that did survive, however, remain in the
uncirculated range and therefore make nice collections. The
1921 Morgan dollar had the highest mintage, and as a result, is an
excellent opportunity to acquire an uncirculated Morgan dollar
at a reasonable price. Many coins are also authenticated and
graded by one of the major third-party coin grading services,
making them easier to purchase online.
The American Eagle
series, started in 1986, are a popular way to hold gold and
silver.
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Gold and Silver Bullion
Gold, silver, and other precious
metals are commonly held through coins. Unlike numismatic coins
which are valued based on the rarity of the coin and its condition,
bullion coins derive their value chiefly from their precious metal
content. There are two main types of bullion coins: 1) Coins minted
as circulating coinage many years ago, such as pre-1965 silver dimes,
quarters, and half-dollars, and 2) Modern coins minted for sale to
investors, like American Eagles or South African Krugerrands. This
website provides a Bullion
Information page describing the most common gold and silver
bullion types. Next is a page on Buying Gold and Silver Bullion,
which contains a reference chart, calculators for finding precious metals
content, and links to online auctions.
Modern Dollar Coins
The Eisenhower
dollar reverse honored the lunar landing..
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While the United States
no longer makes circulating "silver" dollars, it has produced
four dollar coin types since silver was removed from circulating
coins. From 1971 to 1978 Eisenhower dollars were minted,
honoring the late president and the lunar landing. These large coins
were the same diameter and thickness as earlier silver dollars. They
did not see significant use by the public but remain popular with
collectors. Susan B. Anthony dollars were made from 1979 to 1981,
and again in 1999. These smaller coins were easily confused with
quarters and unpopular partly for this reason. Gold-colored
Sacagawea dollars were minted from 2000 to 2007. The United States
is currently producing gold-colored "Presidential" dollars, honoring
former US presidents in the order they served. This website provides
brief information on
each modern dollar series.
Buying Online: Opportunities and Risks
Buying coins online presents both new
opportunities and risks. The sheer number of coins available through
online auctions far exceeds even the best coin shows and is extremely
convenient. However, coins cannot be personally inspected before
purchase. Many buyers are also concerned about the occasional
dishonest seller. Fortunately, these concerns can be
mitigated. A collector or investor may stick to independently
certified and graded coins to avoid grading uncertainties. Fraud can
be prevented by using an intermediate payment service, like PayPal, so
that the seller is never given credit card numbers or other sensitive
financial information. A buyer may also look to a seller's
feedback rating for his previous coin sales. For more
information, see the Online
Coin Buying Guide.
A certified coin
encapsulated, or "slabbed" in a hard plastic holder. This
1922 Peace Dollar was graded MS-65 by PCGS.
 | Independent Coin Grading Services
Major coin grading service will authenticate and grade valuable coins
to prevent counterfeiting and ensure
consistent, impartial grading. These certification
services seal the graded coins in hard-plastic holders to
preserve the coin and prevent tampering. Initially, only
coins costing at least several hundred dollars were certified due to the
cost of certification. However, nowadays it is common even to
see $30 coins certified, especially in popular series like Morgan and
Peace dollars. Certified coins are easier to buy and sell
through online auctions or by mail-order or any other venue where the
buyer cannot personally inspect them. They typically sell for a
premium over other coins in the same condition. For information
on coin grading in general see the Coin Grading
System.
What to Look For: The best known
coin grading services are American Numismatics Association
Certification Service (ANACS), Professional Coin Grading Service
(PCGS), and Numismatic Guarantee Corporation (NGC). These
grading services have established a long track record of consistent
grading. The services are typically referred to by their
abbreviations.
What to Avoid: There are
many new grading services which have not yet established a track record
for accurate and consistent grading. Some new services simply need
more time to build a reputation and may join the list of established
services. Others seem to give most coins extremely high grades
or grade inconsistently. When encountering coins graded by
unknown services, it is beneficial to pay special attention to the coin
itself or do research on the reputation of the unknown grading
service.
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