1925 Silver Dollar Error List & Value
The silver dollar was popular when it was first minted and today, it is one of the most prized Peace dollars in existence. Owning one or more of these coins may add tremendous value to your pocket if you can correctly grade and get the coin’s value.
The coin ran from 1921 to 1935, and the 1925 silver dollar is one out of the long series. Since it is an old coin, it is sought after and the value is relatively high, especially if you sell it. Most collectors place a high value on the 1925 dollar because of its silver content, although it is abundant on the market.
This article looks at the 1925 silver dollar value based on its mint marks, grade, and mintage. These factors and a few more can increase the coin’s value, so keep an eye out for them if you have a considerable collection.
1925 Silver Dollar Value Chart |
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Mint Mark | Good | Fine | Extremely Fine | Uncirculated |
1925 No Mint Mark Silver Dollar Value | $17.17 | $17.69 | $20.58 | $23.04 |
1925 ‘S’ Silver Dollar Value | $17.17 | $20 | $23.83 | $51.35 |
Only two mints struck the 1925 silver dollar: Philadelphia and San Francisco. The total mintage for that year was about 12 million, with Philadelphia minting most of the coins. The high mintage from Philadelphia affected the value of the Philly coins, making it noticeably lower than the San Francisco coins.
However, the coin’s value can change, depending on the silver price on the open market. The higher the price of silver and the demand for it, the higher the value of the coins goes. In other words, the values in the chart can change at any time.
Since two mints struck the coins, it is easy to tell one apart from the other. San Francisco coins bear an S mint mark, while Philly coins have no mint marks. And the relative rarity of the S coins makes them in high demand, consequently affecting their value.
The minting of the Peace dollars started in 1921 and they replaced the Morgan dollars, which were in use before, during, and immediately after the first world war. The Peace dollars were minted as one of the ways to celebrate and commemorate the peace that came with the end of that war.
The coin was minted with 90% silver and 10% copper, and the primary reason for this was to support the efforts of the British during the war. So, in 1918, the Pittman Act was passed, compelling the Treasury to buy silver in large amounts and turn it into coins.
This came as a result of the Germans claiming that the British do not have enough silver to carry their war efforts, which demoralized many people. So, people began to hoard silver coins, and the price of available silver rose, almost crippling the efforts of the British.
The United States provided relief by melting most of the Morgan dollars to get silver and sending it to the British government. Since this meant that there were no longer many silver dollars in circulation, the government had to buy silver from American mines and convert it to new coins, replacing the Morgan dollars with the Peace dollars.
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It also helped that the Morgan dollars clocked 25 years in circulation in 1921, so there was no need to wait for Congress to approve before redesigning or replacing them. The war had ended only a few years before that, so the Peace dollars were a way to etch its end in the sands of time, beginning in 1921. The same year, the United States signed a peace treaty with Germany.
Condition of the 1925 Silver Dollar
Although the coin’s history bears somewhat on the overall value, you cannot get its actual worth without considering the condition. The condition of the coin will determine how much value a buyer or grader places on it. If it is too worn, you may only get a little above the face value.
Most coin collectors are not keen to get the 1925 silver solely for the melt value. Sentiments, completing a specific collection, or having one of every coin in the history of the country are some factors that drive collectors. Besides, the silver in one coin may not be worth much, especially after removing copper and impurities.
Uncirculated silver dollars are the best on the table. They still have their full luster or shine, which glitters when you hold such a coin up at an angle to reflect the light. Since the silver dollar has a lot of details, several points of relief indicate when a coin is in mint state.
For extremely fine coins, the points of sharp relief have dulled to some extent, but they still retain clear details and some luster. Such coins are somewhat valuable, particularly for coins with rare errors.
However, the value significantly drops if the coin is in fine condition. The luster is gone and the details have degraded, although you can make some of them out. The least valuable condition is when it is good, which means the coin is dull and all the details have been rubbed off during circulation.
1925 No Mint Mark Silver Dollar Value
Philadelphia struck a little over 10 million silver dollars in 1925, making it a high mintage for that year. Since it is abundant on the rarity scale, the Philly coin is not in high demand. This does not mean that people do not collect silver dollars with no mint mark. It only means that the value is low, even with the silver melt value.
From grade 67 and above, a coin is considered rare, and a 1925 MS 67 silver dollar can go for more than $3,000. Only one MS 68 1925 silver dollar has ever been graded by PCGS, and it is the finest one to date. It sold for a little over $89,000 at an auction. The same coin is valued at about $95,000 today.
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The coin’s obverse bears the image of Liberty facing left, with her head flowing in from front to back. It is the work of Anthony de Francisci who was quite young when his design was selected from a collection of many experienced artists after a competition for the best design for the silver dollar.
He used his wife as a model but changed some details to match the existing figures of Lady Liberty as people knew them. There is a radiate crown or tiara on her head as if the sun’s rays are coming from her hair. The legend LIBERTY is struck around the top of her head, flush against the rim.
Below her neck, where it cuts off, is the artist’s initial F, and under it is the mint date. IN GOD WE TRUST appears around the neck area divided into two phrases by the image’s neck. In front of her neck, you will see IN GOD WE, and behind her neck is the rest of the motto TRUST.
The reverse of the coin shows an eagle standing on a rock on which is written PEACE. You will also notice a branch clutched in the eagle’s claws, just by the rock. Rays appear around the eagle as if it is standing just above the sun. The denomination ONE DOLLAR is struck on this side, ONE on the left, and DOLLAR on the right with the image of the eagle between them.
Around the rim are the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and under them, in less bold lettering, are the Latin words E PLURIBUS UNUM. You will find the mint mark under the O in ONE for the denomination. The mark is squeezed between the rim and the first ray on the left of the reverse.
1925 S Silver Dollar Value
San Francisco minted a little over 1.6 million silver dollars in 1925, a much lower number than the coins from the Philadelphia mint. This number significantly impacts the value of the S coins, which is noticeably higher than the no-mint mark coins.
The mint mark is the only distinguishing marker between the coins from the two mints. In other words, both coins look the same except for those with errors and other markers. Even at the lowest grade, the S silver dollars fetch good money because of the low mintage and mint mark.
An extremely fine 1925-S silver dollar should cost about $40, but an MS 63 dollar is worth about $400. This is about two times the cost of a Philly silver dollar of the same year and grade. You will hardly find an S silver dollar beyond MS 63, but if you find an MS 65 one, you may get about $40,000 for it. A 1925 MS 65+ silver dollar once sold for $132,000 at an auction in 2022.
1925 Silver Dollar Grading
If you want to get the actual grade of a coin, including the 1925 silver dollar, you must know the level on the Sheldon scale. Professionals use this scale to grade coins so that owners, buyers, or sellers will know the difference between two or more coins that look the same.
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The Sheldon scale goes from 1 to 70, with 1 being the lowest grade and 70 being the highest grade. Uncirculated or mint state coins go from 60 to 70 on the scale. About Uncirculated (AU) is 50 to 58, extremely fine ranges from 40 to 49, fine is 12 to 45, and good is 4 to 10.
Here is a video showing how to rade Peace silver dollars from different years.
Rare 1925 Silver Dollar Error List
A few errors add value to the silver dollar from 1925, and we explain some of them below.
1925 Silver Dollar Cracked Planchet Error
This error is easy to notice; it refers to a crack in the coin. This is different from a chipped planchet, where a piece of the coin is missing from the edge. The extent of the crack and the grade will determine the coin’s value.
However, you must be sure that that crack is from the mint and not after it has been used. If the crack appeared after the coin has been issued, it does not increase its value. Have a professional grader determine whether or not it is a mint error.
1925 Silver Dollar VAM 1A Die Gouge Error
There are different varieties of Peace dollars, distinguished by their VAM numbers. The numbers refer to the specific error on the coin, and VAM is the initials of the names of the men who compiled the guide to differentiating these varieties.
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The Philadelphia silver dollar has six varieties, while the San Francisco dollar has three. One of the Philadelphia dollar errors occurs on the tiara on Liberty’s head. There is a gouge across the rays on the tiara, which mars their smoothness. In MS 66, such a coin can fetch up to $700.
Some 1925-S coins have a doubling error on the reverse, identified as a VAM 2 error. You will notice a doubling on the left part of the feathers on the eagle’s leg and another doubling on the rays to the rock’s left. One MS 65 silver dollar with this error has a value of over $27,000.
1925 Silver Dollar FAQs
How much is a 1925 Peace silver dollar worth today?
A circulated 1925 Peace silver dollar is worth between $30 and $90. But the condition must not be too worn or degraded to fetch this amount of money. In low grades, the value is worth much less. But in mint state or uncirculated condition with an S mint mark, it may sell for more than $55,000.
Where is the mint mark on a 1925 silver dollar?
The mint mark is on the reverse of the coin, between the rim and edge of the rays. Look under the O in the denomination ONE DOLLAR, and you will find the S mint mark, sitting close to the rim.
I have a one dollar peace coin with a mint mark s and I am in Kenya, I want to sell it.