The dollar is the United States’ 100-cent coin. It takes 100 pennies to equal a dollar! It is the basic unit of money in the U.S., whether in the form of paper money or a coin. Since 2012, the U.S. Mint makes most dollars for collecting. But it’s still possible you’ll see one in your change.
The obverse (heads) and reverse (tails) designs can be different. The Native American $1 Coins show an image of Sacagawea carrying her baby, Jean-Baptiste on the obverse. Every year, a new reverse highlights an important Native American. Another dollar coin program is the American Innovation $1 Coins. The Statue of Liberty is on the obverse. Each year, four reverse designs celebrate an invention made in each of our states, territories, and the District of Columbia.
Learn more about dollar coins on the U.S. Mint website.
Dollar History
The U.S. Mint first made the dollar in 1794. It was made of silver and showed a woman who represented liberty on the obverse with an eagle on the reverse. For more than 170 years, different Liberty and eagle designs were used on the dollar.
Fun Fact! The word “dollar” comes from the German word “thaler,” which was a large silver German coin.
In 1971, the Mint changed the dollar to show Dwight D. Eisenhower, our 34th president. The dollar was also no longer made of silver. It was a “clad” coin, which means layers of copper and nickel sandwiched an inner layer of pure copper.
The design was changed again in 1979. This time Susan B. Anthony, a women’s suffrage leader, was on the coin. Before this coin, any women shown on our circulating coins were imaginary women. Susan B. Anthony was the first real woman on a U.S. circulating coin.
In 2000, the dollar gained a new golden color. The coins are now made with a mix of manganese, zinc, copper, and nickel metals. The designs have also changed as part of different coin programs, including:
- Sacagawea Golden Dollar (2000-2008) which showed Sacagawea and her baby, Jean-Baptiste on the obverse
- Presidential $1 Coins (2007-2016, 2020) which showed former U.S. presidents on the obverses
- Native American $1 Coins (2009 to present) which highlights important Native Americans on the reverse
- American Innovation $1 Coins (2018 to present) which celebrates different inventions on the reverse
Learn about other circulating coins.
Penny | Nickel |Dime| Quarter | Half Dollar
FAQs
As with any coin, the value of a Sacagawea Dollar depends on its condition and its rarity. Most of the coins you find will be worth about face value, though you can usually get a few cents more than $1 because they are so prized. But there are a few error varieties that fetch tens of thousands of dollars.
Are $1 coins worth anything? ›
Value of U.S. One Dollar Coins
In fact, in some years the coins were only sold directly to collectors and dealers by The U.S. Mint. Despite their perhaps seemingly elusive nature, the vast majority of these coins are extremely common and still only worth their face value of one dollar.
Is it worth collecting U.S. Mint coins? ›
Collectors and investors often consider US Mint coins a valuable addition to their portfolios. These pieces hold historical significance, potentially increase in value over time, and offer diversification.
How rare is a 2000 P Sacagawea dollar? ›
There were no less than 767,140,000 2000-P Sacagawea gold dollars minted in 2000. At the time, that was about 3 coins for every American. It goes without saying that a mintage that large doesn't leave any room for these coins to ever really be rare. Loose 2000-P Sacagawea coins are still just worth a dollar.
Is a Sacagawea coin worth 100000? ›
The 2000-P Sacagawea Dollar Mule with State Quarter Obverse numbers fewer than 20 specimens and has hammered for over $100,000 at auction. Courtesy of PCGS TrueView. Click image to enlarge. In numismatic parlance, the term “mule” doesn't refer to a horse-donkey hybrid, as is well known in agrarian circles.
What presidential dollars are worth keeping? ›
Top 10 Most Valuable Presidential Dollar Coins
- 2007-D George Washington Dollar, First Day Of Issue, MS67. ...
- (2007) George Washington Dollar, Missing Edge Lettering, MS68. ...
- (2007) Thomas Jefferson, Missing Edge Lettering, MS68. ...
- (2007) James Madison, Missing Edge Lettering, MS67.
Here are the two most valuable Presidential Dollars, as cited by CoinValueLookup:
- 2007 John Adams (without edge lettering): This was one of the first Presidential coins to have an error. ...
- 2007-S John Adams Proof: This coin has “zero flaws” and is expected to become rarer in the future, according to CoinValueLookup.
According to the NGC Price Guide, as of April 2024, a Susan B Anthony Coin from 1979 in circulated condition is worth between $1.05 and $1.35. However, on the open market 1979 P Silver Dollars in pristine, uncirculated condition sell for as much as $1450.
Are Kennedy half dollars worth anything? ›
The Kennedy half dollar coin from pre-1975 is worth between $10 and $1,500+, depending on condition and rarity. The key aspect of the coin that causes the difference in worth is whether the print of Kennedy has "accented hair" above his ear or not.
Is a 50 cent coin rare? ›
The Silver Act of 1963, which led to the elimination of silver from most circulating coins, further impacted the availability of silver half dollars. As a result, coins from these periods are now scarce, with many lost to melting or removal from circulation.
Many buffalo nickels can be traded for about 50 cents but under the right conditions it could be worth over $1,000, according to coin collector David Sorrick at In God We Trust LLC. “The series itself is fairly affordable for the average collector. Yet enough work goes into it to make it worth the chase,” Sorrick said.
What coins should a beginner collect? ›
Some of the most popular coins for collectors include:
- Wheat pennies.
- Mercury dimes.
- Buffalo nickels.
- Standing liberty quarter coins.
- Walking Liberty half-dollar coins.
The United States Mint does not sell its bullion coins directly to the public. Instead, we distribute the coins through a network of official distributors called “Authorized Purchasers” who, in turn, create a two-way market buying and selling to wholesalers, financial institutions, and other secondary retailers.
Can you spend mint coins? ›
The Mint makes circulating coins for spending. When people and businesses use these coins as money, they are “in circulation.” The denominations you'll see the most are the penny, nickel, dime, and quarter. The Mint makes half dollars and dollars for collecting, but you can still spend them.
What makes a Sacagawea $1 coin so rare? ›
This is one of the few US coins to feature a woman, which alone makes it rare in a sense. Some years were made for collectors only, with the coins never released for circulation. In total, only about 71 billion of these coins were stamped, making them far less common than other US coins.
Is the 2000 D Sacagawea dollar worth anything? ›
2000 D Sacagawea Coin Value
According to the NGC Price Guide, as of April 2024, a Sacagawea Coin from 2000 in circulated condition is worth between $1.05 and $1.35. However, on the open market 2000 D Dollars in pristine, uncirculated condition sell for as much as $100.
How much is a 1776 to 1976 coin worth? ›
1776-1976 D TYPE 2 Eisenhower Dollar Value
According to the NGC Price Guide, as of April 2024, a Eisenhower Dollar from 1776-1976 D in circulated condition is worth between $1.05 and $1.50. However, on the open market 1776-1976 D TYPE 2 Silver Dollars in pristine, uncirculated condition sell for as much as $7500.
What is a 1979 Susan B Anthony dollar worth? ›
According to the NGC Price Guide, as of April 2024, a Susan B Anthony Coin from 1979 in circulated condition is worth between $1.05 and $1.35.
