Ned Ludd Coins » 1926 Silver Dollar Value: are “D”, “S”, No mint mark worth money?

1926 Silver Dollar Value: are “D”, “S”, No mint mark worth money?

Do you have a 1926 Silver Dollar? Are you wondering about its worth? If you answered yes to those questions, you have come to the right place!

Similarly to Morgan Dollar and Walking Liberty Half Dollar, the 1926 Silver Dollar has a very interesting and unique design, making it highly collectible among enthusiastic numismatists.

Regarding the value of the 1926 silver dollar, these coins are made of silver, meaning they are always worth their weight in silver. Despite their high mintage number, which usually depreciates the value of a specific coin, most of those were melted or lost, making the remaining coins very rare and unique.

Now, let’s check out the grading, varieties, history, and errors for the 1926 Silver Dollar.

1926 Silver Dollar Details

1926 Silver Dollar Details
Image Credit: usacoinbook
  • Category: Peace Dollars
  • Mint: Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco
  • Mintage: 11,267,000  
  • Obverse/Reverse Designer: Anthony de Francisci
  • Composition: 90% Silver and 10% Copper
  • Fineness:9
  • Weight:7 grams
  • ASW:7734oz
  • Melt Value: $16.95
  • Diameter:1mm
  • Edge: Reeded

As noted earlier, the 1926 Silver Dollar has an exciting and relatively complex design, especially on the reverse, known as tails. The coin was designed by Anthony de Francisci, the American-Italian engraver who also designed other coins and medals.

The obverse features an image or face profile of Lady Liberty, looking left. If you are familiar with American coins, many display a version of Lady Liberty, symbolizing the freedom of speech and thought.

The strong and rich symbolism of Lady Liberty stems from Ancient Roman mythology, in which Lady Liberty was a goddess of freedom. Lady Liberty has a crown on her head and her flowing in the wind.

Above her head is the capitalized inscription “LIBERTY,” stretched across the upper rim of the coin. The letters “B” and “I” are partially obscured by Liberty’s great crown and hair.

Beneath the Liberty’s chin or her truncated neck is the partial inscription of the American motto “IN GOD WE,” which the missing word “TRVST” continues on the right side of the coin, underneath her flying hair.

In the middle of the coin’s bottom is the minting date “1926”. The reverse features a fascinating image of a Bold Eagle on a cliff or a hill with an olive branch in his talons. The eagle is facing right, and there are also rays of sunlight seemingly rising from the bottom of the coin.

The Bold American Eagle is the USA’s emblem, symbolizing freedom, pride, and strength. On the cliff beneath the eagle is the inscription “PEACE.” At the same time, on the upper rim, we can see “UNITED STATES OF America” and the other American motto struck underneath “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”

Along with the first motto, “IN GOD WE TRUST,” the latter is standard on coins because it embodies the American spirit, unity, and sense of freedom. It loosely translates to “Out of many, one.”

The denomination of the coin, “ONE DOLLAR,” is also centered and stretched on the right and left sides of the Bold Eagle.

The mint mark is located on the reverse, underneath the eagle’s tail feather, and is very minute and hence hard to notice. It might seem like an error on the coin to an untrained eye, but it is actually the mint mark.

1926 Silver Dollar Value Chart

Mint Mark Fine  Good Extra Fine MS 60 MS 65
1926 Silver Dollar

No Mint Mark Value

$26  $33 $40-$45 $60-$70 $600-$1,500
1926 D Silver Dollar Value $20- $30 $33-$35 $40-$50 $60-$75 $1,000-$1,500
1926 S Silver Dollar Value $20-$30 $33-$35 $40-$50 $70-$90 $300-$1,2000

1926 Silver Dollar Value and Varieties Guide

The coin was minted in Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Denver. The mintage number is pretty high- 11, 267,000. However, as noted earlier, many of the coins were lost and melted, so there is a high demand for them, depending on their condition.

The lowest mintage was in Philadelphia- 1,939,000, while the highest was in San Francisco- 6,980,000.

Talking of the 1926’s coin value in silver is around $17 for 26 grams of silver, which is the coin’s weight.

However, when calculating the worth and value according to the weight, keep in mind that the price of silver often fluctuates.

The 1926 Half Dollar is pretty common in circulated states and lower grades, affecting the price and value. Although the mintage number plays a vital role, when it comes to the 1926 Half Dollar, regardless of the mint mark, these coins in an average state are worth around $26.

The most sought-after 1926 Half Dollars are those in MS67, and they can cost up to $15,000, although those in MS 65 are also rare but still can be found. Depending on the mint mark, they cost around $600 to $1,500.

1926 No Mint Mark Peace Silver Dollar Value

1926 No Mint Mark Peace Silver Dollar Value
Image Credit: pcgs
  • Mint: Philadelphia
  • Designer: Anthony de Francisci
  • Mintage:1, 939,000
  • Composition: 90% and 10% copper
  • Mass: 26 grams
  • Face value: $0.50 (half a dollar)
  • Diameter: 28mm
  • Shape: Round
  • Edge: Reeded
  • Category: Peace Dollars
  • Mint Mark: /

As mentioned, the Philadelphia mint had the lowest mintage in the series. The coins usually minted in Philadelphia do not have a mint mark. Even though you might think that the low mintage number might inflate the value of these coins, the truth is different.

Despite the mintage number, 1926 No Mint Mark is very common and usually found in about circulated (AU) grades. Also, the coins were released into circulation in the 40s’ and 50s of the previous century, which also affected their value, and in other words, depreciated it.

So, generally, they can cost between $26 and $40 in average or fine condition, depending on the mint mark. Specimens in AU grades cost around $40, while those in mint state 60 can cost $60 to $70 or even more.

Sometimes a very passionate collector is willing to pay a higher amount in an auction for a coin because they wish to complete a series of coins or really want that particular specimen.

Although rare, 1926 No Mint Mark Silver Dollars in MS 67 can cost $1,500 up to $7,000. These pieces have excellent luster, strike, and visible details, especially on the reverse. Due to circulation, it happens that the eagle’s feathers or inscriptions get obscured or worn out.

The highest amount paid for 1926 No Mint Mark Silver Dollar is $120,000; the specimen was in MS 67, considered the highest grade for this coin.

1926 S Peace Silver Dollar Value

1926 S Peace Silver Dollar Value

  • Mint: San Francisco
  • Designer: Anthony de Francisci
  • Mintage:6, 980,000
  • Composition: 90% and 10% copper
  • Mass: 26 grams
  • Face value: $0.50 (half a dollar)
  • Diameter: 28mm
  • Shape: Round
  • Edge: Reeded
  • Category: Peace Dollars
  • Mint Mark: S

The highest mintage of the 1926 Peace Silver Dollar was in San Francisco, nearly 7 million. The mint mark “S” is on the reverse underneath the eagle’s feathers.

The specimens struck in San Francisco are considered to have the best quality in the series, with a very strong strike, resulting in visible and clear details. Similarly to 1926 No Mint Mark Silver Dollar, these specimens with an “S” mint mark are also very common in low, average, and AU grades.

They cost from $27 to 50 or $60 in the range from fine to extra fine condition. Those in mint states are relatively common and are easily recognizable by their decisive strike and shiny luster.  

The 1926 S Silver Dollar in MS 60 can cost from $70 to $90, but those in MS 65 expect to pay a thousand or more. The price range is from 1,000 to 1,500.

As with the 1926 No Mint Mark Silver Dollar, the specimens with the S mint mark in MS 67 are scarce and thus very collectible. Actually, the most attractive and expensive specimens in the series are the ones with an S mint mark and in MS 67.

For such a specimen, expect to pay several hundred thousand because only a few hundred exist.

A 1925 S Silver Dollar in uncirculated condition or MS 66 is worth around $17,000. However, the price jumps drastically if the same specimen is the super rare MS 67-$40,000. The auction record price for the 1926 S Silver Dollar in MS 67 is $41,000.

1926 D Peace Silver Dollar Value

1926 D Peace Silver Dollar Value

  • Mint: Denver
  • Designer: Anthony de Francisci
  • Mintage: 2,348,700
  • Composition: 90% and 10% copper
  • Mass: 26 grams
  • Face value: $0.50 (half a dollar)
  • Diameter: 28mm
  • Shape: Round
  • Edge: Reeded
  • Category: Peace Dollars
  • Mint Mark: D

The mint in Denver had the second-largest mintage in the series, making the 1926 D Silver Dollars very common and most likely the most commonly found variety of the Peace Dollars.

Similarly to the other two varieties, these coins are abundant in AU, average, and fine condition. They usually cost around $27 to $40 in fine condition, while those pieces in extra fine can go over $40 and up to $100.

The about circulated specimens price ranges from $40 to $50. You can also find the 1926 D Silver Dollar in mint states, starting from MS 60 to MS 65, costing from $400 to $1,200, depending on the state of preservation and grade.

The most sought-after and rarest pieces are those in MS 66 and MS67, which can cost between $7,000 and $23,000.

 The highest amount paid for the 1926 D Silver Dollar, although the exact specimen in the same grade was sold for $22,000, which also shows the price fluctuation, depending on the demand.

Also Read: Top 21 Most Valuable 2000 P Sacagawea Dollar Coin Worth Money

1926 Silver Dollar History

The 1926 Peace Silver Dollars were minted from 1921 to 1928 and then again from 1934 until 1935. Then the coin made a short comeback in 2021.

As mentioned, the reverse and obverse were designed by Anthony de Francisci, who landed this job after winning a contest to commemorate the end of World War I. Interestingly, these dollars mainly circulated in the West and were the last ones made of silver that circulated in general.

The model for the Liberty Head on the coin was Francisci’s wife, Mary Theresa, who, in his words, presented a ‘composite face’ typifying something uniquely American. The coin’s design, in general, was to embody a message of peace, a term found in the coin’s reverse.

The idea was to start a peaceful era after such a violent and destructive conflict. And what better way to commence it than by sending a heartwarming message with these tiny tangible pieces of history? The coin’s history is not only fascinating but also laced with mystery.

If you pay attention to the coin’s obverse, precisely the American motto “IN GOD WE TRUST,” the word GOD seems slightly raised and struck differently from other words. There are several theories to explain this occurrence.

One indicates that it was related to the Scopes Trial, a trial of the biology teacher John Scopes, who taught Darwin’s evolution theory to children in 1925 in Tennessee and was prosecuted for it. At the time, teaching evolution was prohibited and regulated by the Butler Act.

The news of the Scopes trial permeated the USA, becoming a national debate. Therefore, many believed that GOD was intentionally changed to emphasize the importance of religion over evolution.  

The other theory was that it was just a random error that occurred in the minting process, and interestingly, the series minted in the following year had all words written in the same lettering.

This makes the 1926 Silver Dollars series unique and sought after, compared to those with other mint dates.

Also Read: Top 19 Most Valuable Morgan Dollars Worth Money

1926 Silver Dollar Grading

If you are wondering how to grade 1926 Silver Dollars, do not worry! Although the grading process is very perplexing, especially if you are unfamiliar with the grading scale!

The most popular and commonly contracted grading agencies or companies are PCGS and NGC, which use the Sheldon scale, assigning grades from 1 to 70.

1926 Silver Dollar Errors

The 1926 Silver Dollar did not have many errors, just two, which are common and do not affect the price significantly. 

1. 1926 Silver Dollar Misaligned Die on the Reverse Error

This error is most visible or noticeable in the series produced in Denver. A misaligned die happens when the hammer is not correctly aligned with the anvil die. Interestingly, besides the misaligned die on the reverse, it results in the off-center obverse and usually is limited to only one side of the coin.

Although errors significantly boost the price, that is not quite the case with the 1926 Silver Dollar because they are very common (the coins with this error) and usually cost from $50 to $60.

2. 1926 Silver Dollar Obverse Struck Through Error

1926 Silver Dollar Obverse Struck Through Error
Image Credit: ebay

This error is common when minting coins, and it refers to the presence of a foreign body, such as debris or dirt, during the striking process. In the striking process, pieces of dirt get stuck between the planchet and the die.

Similarly to the first error, this one does not raise the price and usually costs $65 to $70. The reason is that these errors are barely noticeable. However, specimens with visible and larger defects might cost up to $100 in fine and extra fine condition.

1926 Silver Dollar FAQ

What makes a 1926 silver dollar rare?

Considering that these coins are available in lower grades and mint states, they are not very sought-after. The rarest 1926 Silver Dollars are those in MS 66 and MS 67.

What is the error on a 1926 silver dollar?

The 1926 Peace Dollar has two errors, the misaligned die, and the obverse struck through. These errors are common, but they do not significantly affect the price.

How can you tell if a silver dollar is rare?

The rarity of a coin depends on the demand, composition, mint mark, mintage number, presence of errors, and the condition or level of preservation. With silver coins or dollars, you can always count on their value in silver, which ranges from 17 to $30, depending on the coin’s weight.

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