This "Peace Dollar" given to me at birth was produced in 1922 by the US Mint. In the aftermath of the "Great War" (which is what "World War I" was called, at first), the public was enamored with the concept of peace. In November of 1918, a coin collector named Frank Duffield published an article suggesting a "victory coin" to be minted in large quantities. In August of 1920, numismatist Farran Zerbe specifically suggested a coin celebrating peace. It was Zerbe's article that led to the formation of a committee to petition Congress, but Duffield's writing probably contributed to the movement, as well.
The following photo shows the Peace Dollar on the right, compared with a Morgan Silver Dollar that is also in my collection. Seeing them side-by-side like this is a great way to compare the older coin's appearance against the newer design. Both coins are the same color, but the Morgan appears a little brighter simply because it was closer to the light source.
The obverse of the Peace Dollar features a depiction of Lady Liberty which I personally find to be stunning, and much nicer than earlier depictions of her. Those earlier versions were based on the Greco-Roman concept of beauty, but this version appears leaner and younger — and, I think, with a look of determination as if she had actually fought for that liberty which she represents. Liberty's profile on this coin was based on the appearance of Teresa de Francisci, whose husband, Anthony de Francisci, submitted the winning design in the competition. As a little girl of five years old, Teresa was quite taken by the Statue of Liberty when her family immigrated to the US and sailed past the figure on Liberty Island in Upper New York Harbor.
After sitting for her husband during the design of the coin, she wrote a letter to her brother, which included:
You remember how I was always posing as Liberty, and how brokenhearted I was when some other little girl was selected to play the role in the patriotic exercises in school? I thought of those days often while sitting as a model for Tony's design, and now seeing myself as Miss Liberty on the new coin, it seems like the realization of my fondest childhood dream. [1]
In stead of a cap or garland, this Lady Liberty is wearing a radiant crown that appears as if sun rays are streaming from her hair, which is a departure from depictions past.
I recently was able to obtain three more of these Peace Dollars at a good price on eBay (USD $20.17 each), all of which are 1923 issue. Each of them were rated as VG+ (very good, or better) condition by the seller. This is one of them, and shows very little, if any, wear! Peace Dollars are composed of 90% silver so are a good value for investment purposes. Even though silver bullion at 99.9% silver could have been purchased at this price, Constitutional Silver seems to have a good retention-of-value among collectors as well as historical significance, so it can be considered a good choice in certain quantities.
A majestic eagle appears on the reverse of the coin, perched on a mountain peak, with more sun rays all around and an olive branch clutched in its talons.
At the very bottom of the coin is the word "PEACE" which can be seen better in the closeup detail below:
I really liked the little card that was included in my order! This is proof that the seller values feedback from their customers and wants to make things right! 🙌 Also, how often do you see "Packed by Lauren" nowadays? I remember this was common when I was a child, but not so common in recent years! That shows that the seller believes in accountability and recognizing people for their excellence!
If anyone reading this is interested in ordering any Peace Dollars, this is the vendor from which I purchased the three recent additions to my collection: M. BARR COINS (they have 99.9% Positive feedback as an eBay seller).
😊SOURCES
1 Wikipedia: Peace Dollar
to learn more about either of these projects, please visit: @heyhaveyamet or @steemterminal
09-Mar-2020
My first silver carry coin was a Peace Dollar. I love Lady Liberty in this US Silver Dollar. Thanks for sharing the story behind your Peace Dollar. Very nice!
Have a wonderful week my sis @thekittygirl, and take care 🥰🌺🤙
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I can Verify that Ms. Saver Loves Her Peace Dollars !!
Thank You So Much for all the info!
👍🏼😁👍🏼
I totally read you were born in 1922 and realized I needed to slow my eyes down LOL! I never realized they said peace on the bottom of em.
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Awesome coin! Peace, indeed. It's really nice to see that they put that extra touch in with the card, too.