2021 Morgan & Peace Dollars

2021 Morgan Silver Dollars and 2021 Peace Silver Dollars

2021 marks one hundred years since the US Mint shifted from striking the Morgan silver dollars to the Peace silver dollars. This transition is particularly important because many of the Morgans were lost to support the war effort for World War I and had to be replaced in 1921. Of all the US silver coins, the Morgan and Peace Silver Dollars remain among the top-collected 90% silver US coins of all time. Therefore, these 2021 Morgan silver dollars and 2021 Peace silver dollars give coin collectors something new to celebrate in their collections!

The History of the Morgan and Peace Silver Dollars

The production history of the Morgan silver dollars dates back to 1878 until 1904, and then they were struck once more in 1921. This is because the Peace silver dollars needed further modification before they could be produced that year. The Morgan Silver Dollar design is a representation of the artisrty of George T Morgan. One of the most significant aspects of this coin is that it was originally manufactured with silver from the Comstock Lode in Nevada. This lode was a massive factor in supporting the development of both Nevada and San Francisco and is forever an important part of American history.

In addition, the Morgan Silver Dollars majorly supported the war effort during WWI. Thanks to the Pittman Act, the US was melted down approximately half of the entire mintage of the Morgan Silver Dollars to help support Great Britain’s economy. The nation, in return, bought the melted silver for $1 per troy oz from the US. Unfortunately, this resulted in a major loss of the Morgan Silver Dollars. However, the Pittman Act had a second stipulation: the destroyed silver dollars needed to be replaced after the war. 

Instead of restriking the same design onto the silver dollars, an article published in The Numismatist in 1918 suggested a victory coin be made as a replacement. Congress authorized the striking of a new coin: the Peace Silver Dollar. The Peace dollar was to be a symbol of hope for a peaceful new era as well as a mark of the emergence of the US as a formidable global power after the war's conclusion. In order to strike this poignant coin, the US held a competition to commission its design. Anthony de Francisci was the winner of said competition, and the rest is history.

Design of the 2021 Silver Dollars

The design of the new 2021 Morgan and Peace Silver Dollars will feature the original images from George T Morgan and Anthony de Francisci. The new 2021 silver dollar coins were struck with .858 troy oz of .999 fine silver instead of the original .900 fineness used in the 1920s. The 2021 Morgan Silver Dollars have a product limit of 175,000, and the 2021 Peace silver dollars have a product limit of 200,000.

2021 Morgan Silver Dollar Design

The Morgan Silver Dollars continue to feature George T Morgan’s Lady Liberty design. She wears her Liberty cap with the cotton and wheat blossoms on the obverse. The reverse displays a rendition of a bald eagle holding an olive branch and arrows in its talons. A wreath of laurel curves beneath the US national bird. 

The Morgan Silver Dollars have a variety of mint marks and privy marks in order to honor all the mints that once struck these coins. Since the New Orleans Mint and Carson City Mints no longer exist, the 2021 Morgan Silver Dollars feature “O” or “CC” privy marks honoring the series' history. 

2021 Peace Silver Dollars Design

Di Francisci’s Lady Liberty graces the obverse of the 2021 Peace Silver Dollar. She wears a radiate style crown, inspred by the headdress of the Statue of Liberty. The reverse bears the image of a bald eagle perched on top of a rocky surface while clutching an olive branch. Rays of sunshine illuminate the background as the eagle watches the sunrise, a symbol of a new age of peace. 

Are the 2021 Silver Dollars Commemorative Coins?

Technically, the 2021 silver dollars are not commemorative coins, even though they celebrate a major US event. The US authorizes only two commemorative coin programs per year, which had been determined prior to the effforts of two numismatic enthusiasts for the celebratory issues of the Morgan and Peace Dollars. 

Thomas Uram—Chairman of the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC)—and CCAC member and numismatic author Michael Moran, assembled their case for a new coin act. Thanks to them, this coin program is now available to you! They received approval through the accepted legislation of the 2021 Morgan and Peace Silver Dollars as of September 2020 under the 1921 Silver Dollar Coin Anniversary Act. This act, officially known as H.R. 6192, was signed into law on 1/5/21 by the President of the United States.

At Bullion Exchanges, we recognize the importance of coins like the 2021 Morgan Silver Dollar and the 2021 Peace Silver Dollar in preserving America's numismatic heritage.