1921 Peace Silver Dollar - High Relief First Year Issue

The Peace Silver Dollar replaced the Morgan Dollar in 1921 to commemorate the end of World War I. The Commission of Fine Arts held a design competition, and Italian-American sculptor Anthony de Francisci won the commission. He based the face of Lady Liberty on his wife, Teresa de Francisci. The coin shows Liberty wearing a radiate crown on the obverse and a perched eagle on the reverse with the word PEACE below it. The mint produced the coin from 1921 to 1935. The 1921 issue used a high-relief design that caused production issues, so the Mint flattened the relief for all coins dated 1922 through 1935. The series ended in 1935 because the Pittman Act requirements for silver purchases concluded and demand for silver dollars dropped.

Start your collection with the 1922, 1923, and 1924 dates, as these are the most common and affordable. Focus on finding coins in Mint State condition since millions exist. Avoid coins with heavy bag marks on Liberty's cheek, as these detract from the value. Watch for counterfeits of the 1921 high-relief issue and the 1928 Philadelphia strike; these coins have a different weight or surface texture compared to genuine silver strikes.