Historic U.S. Gold & Silver Coins

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Here is a list of historic U.S. precious metal coins that are still popular with investors. Many of these coins derive their value from both the precious metals content of the coin as well as the rarity and numismatic value of the coin.
 

$20 Liberty Head Gold Double Eagle Coin

The $20 Liberty Head Gold Double Eagle coin was produced by the United States Mint from 1850 to 1907. The discovery of gold in California in the 1840s encouraged the U.S. Government to mint more coins made from gold. The $20 Liberty Head Gold Double Eagle coin was minted from an alloy that consisted of 90% gold and 10% copper. The obverse of the coin features the Liberty Head design, while the reverse features a heraldic eagle holding an olive branch and three arrows in its talons, and protecting a shield.

Many $20 Liberty Head Gold Double Eagle coins were melted or sent overseas when President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 6102 in 1933, which forbid Americans from owning gold coins, bullion, and certificates. A $20 Liberty Head Gold Double Eagle coin has a face value of $20, but its market value is $2,000 and greater, depending on rarity. The $20 Liberty Head Gold Double Eagle coin was replaced by the $20 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle coin in 1907.
 

$20 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle Coin

The $20 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle coin replaced the $20 Liberty Head Gold Double Eagle coin and was produced by the United States Mint from 1907 to 1933. Like its predecessor, the $20 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle coin was minted from an alloy that consisted of 90% gold and 10% copper. The obverse of the coin features Liberty holding a torch and olive branch, while the reverse features a flying eagle with the sun in the background. When Americans were forbidden from owning gold in 1933 by Executive Order 6102, minting of the coin stopped and millions were melted down. A $20 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle coin has a face value of $20, but its market value ranges from $2,100 to millions of dollars, depending on rarity. The $20 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle coin is one of the most valuable and highly sought-after coins in the world.
 

$10 Liberty Gold Eagle Coin

The $10 Liberty Gold Eagle coin was produced by the United States Mint from 1838 to 1907. The $10 Liberty Gold Eagle coin was minted from an alloy that consisted of 90% gold and 10% copper. The obverse of the coin features a Liberty Head design, while the reverse of the coin features a heraldic eagle holding three arrows and protecting a shield which represents the US nation. A $10 Liberty Gold Eagle coin has a face value of $10, but its market value is $1,000 and greater, depending on rarity.
 

$10 Indian Head Gold Eagle Coin

The $10 Indian Head Gold Eagle coin was produced by the United States Mint from 1907 to 1933. The $10 Indian Head Gold Eagle coin was minted from an alloy that consisted of 90% gold and 10% copper. The obverse of the coin features the head profile of an Indian chief, while the reverse of the coin features a standing eagle. Both the obverse and reverse were designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens. A $10 Indian Head Gold Eagle coin has a face value of $10, but its market value is $1,000 and greater, depending on rarity.
 

Morgan Silver Dollar Coin

The Morgan Silver Dollar coin was produced by the United States Mint from 1878 to 1904, then in 1921, and from 2021 to the present. From 1878 to 1904 and in 1921, the coin was minted from an alloy that consisted of 90% silver and 10% copper. Since 2021, the coin has been minted from 99.9% pure silver. The obverse of the coin features a Liberty Head design, while the reverse of the coin features an eagle holding arrows and an olive branch. A Morgan Silver Dollar coin has a face value of $1, but its market value ranges from $10 to thousands of dollars, depending on condition and rarity.
 

Peace Silver Dollar Coin

The Peace Silver Dollar coin was produced by the United States Mint from 1921 to 1928, then again between 1934 and 1935, and from 2021 to the present. From 1921 to 1935, the coin was minted from an alloy that consisted of 90% silver and 10% copper. Since 2021, the coin has been minted from 99.9% pure silver. The obverse of the coin features a Liberty Head design, while the reverse of the coin features a bald eagle facing to the right. A Peace Silver Dollar coin has a face value of $1, but its market value ranges from $18 to thousands of dollars, depending on condition and rarity.
 

Silver Walking Liberty Half-Dollar Coin

The Walking Liberty Half-Dollar coin was produced by the United States Mint from 1916 to 1947. The Walking Liberty Half-Dollar coin was minted from an alloy that consisted of 90% silver and 10% copper. The obverse of the coin features a Liberty in a walking stance holding branches, while the reverse of the coin features a bald eagle on a mountaintop. The Walking Liberty Half-Dollar coin has a face value of 50 cents, but its market value is approximately $10 to $15 a piece for well-circulated, “junk silver” coins.
 

Silver Franklin Half-Dollar Coin

The Silver Franklin Half-Dollar coin was produced by the United States Mint from 1948 to 1963. The coin was minted from an alloy that consisted of 90% silver and 10% copper. The obverse of the coin features a side profile of Benjamin Franklin, while the reverse of the coin features a cracked Liberty Bell. The Silver Franklin Half-Dollar coin has a face value of 50 cents, but its market value is approximately $8 to $11 for well-circulated, “junk silver” coins.
 

Silver Kennedy Half-Dollar Coin

The Silver Kennedy Half-Dollar coin was produced by the United States Mint from 1964 to 1970. In 1964, the coin was minted from an alloy that consisted of 90% silver and 10% copper. From 1965 to 1970, the coin had a copper-silver alloy core with an outer layer of silver, which brought the coin’s total silver content to 40%. The obverse of the coin features a side profile of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, while the reverse of the coin features the seal of the president of the United States (an eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and thirteen arrows in another talon). The Silver Kennedy Half-Dollar coin has a face value of 50 cents, but its market value is approximately $3 to $5 a piece for well-circulated, “junk silver” coins.
 

Silver Washington Quarter

The Silver Washington Quarter was produced by the United States Mint from 1932 to 1964. The coin was minted from an alloy consisting of 90% silver and 10% copper. The obverse of the coin features a side profile of former U.S. President George Washington, while the reverse of the coin features an eagle spreading its wings. The Silver Washington Quarter has a face value of 25 cents, but its market value is approximately $6 a piece for well-circulated, “junk silver” coins.
 

Silver Mercury Dime

The Silver Mercury Dime was produced by the United States Mint from 1916 to 1945. The coin was minted from an alloy that consisted of 90% silver and 10% copper. The obverse of the coin features a Liberty with a winged cap, while the reverse of the coin features a fasces (bundle of wooden rods) and an olive branch. The Silver Mercury Dime has a face value of 10 cents, but its market value is approximately $2 to $3 a piece for well-circulated, “junk silver” coins.
 

Silver Roosevelt Dime

The Silver Roosevelt Dime was produced by the United States Mint from 1946 to 1964. The coin was minted from an alloy that consisted of 90% silver and 10% copper. The obverse of the coin features a side profile of former U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, while the reverse of the coin features a torch with olive and oak branches on both sides of it. The Silver Roosevelt Dime has a face value of 10 cents, but its market value is approximately $1.70 to $3 a piece for well-circulated, “junk silver” coins.
 

Silver War Nickel

The Silver War Nickel is a Jefferson nickel that was produced by the United States Mint from mid-1942 to 1945. The coin was minted from an alloy that consisted of 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese. Before World War II, the Jefferson nickel was comprised of 75% copper and 25% nickel without any silver. Once the U.S. entered the war, nickel was needed for the war effort, so the United States Mint changed the coin’s alloy to substitute silver for nickel. The obverse of the coin features a side profile of former U.S. President Thomas Jefferson, while the reverse of the coin features a depiction of Jefferson’s Monticello plantation house. The Silver War Nickel has a face value of 5 cents, but its market value is approximately $1.30 to $1.50 a piece for well-circulated, “junk silver” coins.