1922 Silver Dollar Value: Here’s What A 1922 Peace Silver Dollar Is Worth Today (…And Why It’s Called A Peace Dollar)

If you have a 1922 one dollar coin, you’re probably wondering, “How much is a 1922 silver dollar worth?”

It seems many folks want to know what their 1922 dollar coins are worth — probably because there are millions of 1922 silver dollars around.

But just because the 1922 silver dollar is one of the most common silver dollars doesn’t mean it’s not worth saving.

In fact, you may be surprised to find out the 1922 silver dollar is worth many times its face value!

Read on to discover more about the 1922 dollar coin (the 1922 Peace dollar) — including what it’s worth, how many of these old silver dollars were made, why it’s called a Peace dollar, and the story behind the coin’s design.

The Peace Dollar, minted from 1921-1928 and again in 1934 and 1935 was the last U.S. silver dollar coin minted for circulation. Source

1922 Silver Dollar Value

Yes, the 1922 Peace dollar is definitely worth saving because it’s made from a 90% silver composition and it’s worth at least the value of its intrinsic silver content.

Here’s what 1922 silver dollars are worth:

• 1922 Peace dollar (Philadelphia, no mintmark) – 51,737,000 minted, $16+
• 1922-D Peace dollar (Denver) – 15,063,000 minted; $16+
• 1922-S Peace dollar (San Francisco) – 17,475,000 minted; $16+

*The 1922 silver dollar values listed above are based on a silver bullion value of $17 per ounce. Values for circulated specimens without errors or varieties will be higher or lower — based on the prevailing silver spot price.

Is That The Statue of Liberty On The Peace Dollar?

You’ve probably noticed the likeness of the young woman on the 1922 Peace silver dollar looks something like the Statue of Liberty.

There’s actually a really sweet story behind the design on the Peace dollar — which replaced the Morgan silver dollar in 1921 and was minted until 1935. (A small number were also made at the Denver Mint in 1964. However, those 1964-D Peace dollars were never officially released, and all were reportedly melted.)

The designer of the Peace silver dollar was Anthony de Francisci, who was born in Italy and immigrated to the United States during the great waves of European immigration through Ellis Island in New York City around the turn of the 20th century.

It was a similar story for Francisci’s wife, Teresa (nee Cafarelli). She was born in Italy, and with her mom immigrated to the United States at 4 years old early in the 20th century.

Young Teresa was overjoyed upon the sight of the Statue of Liberty as she and her mother sailed into New York Harbor on their voyage from Italy. She even struck a pose on the ship, emulating Lady Liberty standing tall over the waters of their new home!

Some years later, young Teresa was denied a part in a school production for a part portraying Miss Liberty on stage. But she would have the last laugh.

When her husband, Anthony, was commissioned to create a new silver dollar in 1921 to replace the long-running Morgan dollar, he was up against the clock to produce a design.

He turned to his wife to model for the new silver dollar — which was to serve as an emblem of peace in the years immediately following World War I.

De Francisci asked his young wife to sit near a window in his studio, and the wind blew her locks behind her head.

The inspiration of the moment resulted in a visage of Miss Liberty that de Francisci later explained “is not a photograph of Mrs. de Francisci. It is a composite face and in that way typifies something of America.”

The rays on Miss Liberty’s head as seen on the Peace dollar are strikingly reminiscent of those upon the Statue of Liberty — which his young wife had loved since she was a little girl.

While a young Miss Liberty appears on the obverse (heads side) of the Peace dollar, a proud American eagle stands on a rock depicted on the reverse (tails side) of the coin.

Though Anthony de Francisci passed away in 1964 and Teresa in 1990, the Peace dollar lives on a century later as a symbol of the American dream — and the eternal hope for peace.

Why Is It Called A Peace Dollar?

The Peace dollar is a lasting symbol of the hope for global peace following World War I — which ended in 1918. Many prominent coin collectors supported the idea of creating a victory coin emblematic of peace, though the idea was slow to get off the ground.

At the time, the United States Mint was set to begin striking dollar coins for the first time in more than a decade due to the regulations of the Pittman Act of 1918, which required the U.S. government to strike millions of silver dollars. While the Mint reprised the Morgan dollar design in 1921, 17 years after Morgan dollars were previously struck in 1904, there were many people lobbying for a new silver dollar design.

Supporters of the Peace dollar lobbied members of congress to change the design, but they eventually realized they didn’t need congressional approval to change the Morgan dollar. The Morgan dollar had already existed for more than 25 years (since 1878), and under U.S. law the coin could therefore be changed without an act of Congress. The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts formed a design contest to select a new silver dollar design, and they invited several artists to participate. Among them was de Francisci — the youngest of the artists invited to take part in the design contest.

The artists had a few rules to follow:

• The obverse had to depict the head of Liberty “as beautiful and full of character as possible.”
• The eagle had to appear on the reverse, along with the inscriptions “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “LIBERTY.”

The artists had just a few weeks to prepare for the task. Invitations were submitted on November 19, 1921 and the designs for the new Peace dollar were due on December 12.

The Peace dollar design was approved by Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon in December 1921, and the first 1 million Peace dollars, dated 1921, were struck during the last few days of the year.

What Else Happened When The 1922 Silver Dollar Was Made?

There was a lot going on in the world when the 1922 Peace dollar was made. Here’s a look at a few of the events and highlights of 1922:

• The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or USSR, was formed. It would stand as a world superpower until the fall of communism in Europe during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
• The Lincoln Memorial was dedicated by President Howard Taft in Washington, D.C. The monument was later featured on the reverse of the Lincoln Memorial penny from 1959 through 2008.
• The first issue of Reader’s Digest was published — becoming one of the most widely read magazines in the world.
• The world-famous British Broadcasting Company, or BBC, was formed.
• Explorers uncovered the tomb of Egypt’s King Tutankhamen. The discovery became a world phenomenon, rising to fame in pop culture.
• Top songs in 1922 included “My Buddy” by Henry Burr, “Toot Toot Tootsie” by Al Jolson, and “My Man Rocks With Me” by Trixie Smith.
• The most popular movies in 1922 were Beauty’s Worth, A Bill of Divorcement, Beyond the Rocks, and The Blacksmith.

More About The 1922 Peace Silver Dollar

Here’s some more info on 1922 Peace dollar coins and other silver dollars that I think you’ll find helpful:

• The Most Valuable Silver Dollars
• How Many Peace Dollars Were Made? 
• Historic Values Of Morgan Silver Dollar Coins
• Peace Dollar Value Guide