Silver Dollars & Trade Dollars of the United States - A Complete Encyclopedia

1926-D Peace Dollar

Numismatic Information

Commentary: The 1926-D Peace dollar is one of those in-between issues: not a common date, but not rare either. It has been relatively unnoticed over the years.

While large releases of S-Mint bags of Peace dol-lars were well documented, and while similar releases of Philadelphia coins were also publicized, relatively little was said about Denver issues. During the course of research for this book I did not find a single verified instance of a bag of 1926-D dollars being released before 1950, and yet many must have been. It is my guess that most slipped quietly into the channels of commerce before that time. A bag or two came out in the Midwest around 1953-54 and were quickly absorbed. It has been suggested that a few bags came out in the Treasury release of 1962-64. In 1982, Wayne Miller wrote that rolls were plentiful, and doubtless they were at the time.

Circulated grades: 1926-D dollars are common in VF-20 to AU-58 grades, testimony to the fact that many were used in circulation.

Mint State grades: On a single-coin basis, the 1926-D is easily available in Mint State. Most are in lower grade ranges, but enough MS-64 and even MS-65 coins have been certified that finding one will not be difficult. Many specimens have a rich, satiny lus-tre. However, striking can be a problem, not only at the center of the reverse (the usual spot for light striking when it occurs on Peace dollars), but also on the rims and at the date. In spite of this, there are enough well-struck coins around, that buying one will present no difficulty. Some pieces show a tracery of die breaks on the obverse.

Cherrypickers can ease up on this date, for locating a well-struck, lustrous, and appealing 1926-D can be done with one eye closed and one hand behind your back.

Varieties
Business strikes:
1. Breen-5726. Hub combination II-B2. VAM-I.
Micro D mintmark. The usually seen variety. VAM-2 has mintmark tilted to the right.

1926-D Peace: Market Values

1926-D Peace: Summary of Characteristics

Business Strikes:
Enabling legislation: As earlier; plus bullion authorized by the Pittman Act, April 23, 1918
Designer: Anthony de Francisci
Weight and composition: 412.5 grains; .900 silver, .100 copper
Melt-down (silver value) in year minted: $0.48284
Dies prepared: Obverse: Unknown; Reverse: Unknown
Weight and composition: 412.5 grains; .900 silver, .100 copper
Melt-down (silver value) in year minted: $0.48284 Dies prepared: Obverse: Unknown; Reverse: Unknown.
Business strike mintage: 2,348,700
Estimated quantity melted: Unknown
Approximate population MS-65 or better: 1,500 to 2,500 (URS-12)
Approximate population MS-64: 2,500 to 5,000 (URS-13)
Approximate population MS-63: 5,000 to 8,000 (URS-14)
Approximate population MS-60 to 62: 12,000 to 20,000 (URS-15)
Approximate population VF-20 to AU-58: 150,000 to 250,000 (URS-19)
Characteristics of striking: Usually well struck and very attractive; exceptions include coinsweak at the rims and the center of the reverse.
Known hoards of Mint State coins: A small number of bags were released by the Treasury during the 1950s and 1962-64.

Proofs:
None

Commentary
A well-struck, lustrous 1926-D Peace dollar is a delight to behold, and such pieces are not hard to find.