Expert: Jim Lawniczak - 7/16/2007

Question
I have a 1926 Silver dollar with a misprint that reads "In God We Trvst". How much is this worth.

Answer
Hello, Mark, there is no misprint, the Romans wrote their "U" like that and it is sometimes copied.  The Standing Liberty quarter has it the same way.

The 1926 Peace dollar was fairly common and does not have a great premium over silver value (say about $12 with current silver prices, subject to change), even with a mint mark (look on the reverse under the "One" for a "D" or "S" -- the "D" is the more valuable).  It only starts to have value over silver melt value if it is uncirculated, and there is nothing you can do to make a piece that has been circulated look uncirculated, all you can do by cleaning or even fingerprinting is to reduce value.  The current market gives flucuating values depending on how nice an uncirculated coin is (you'll see numbers like MS60 and MS62 and MS63 etc, higher is better).  Most coins that sell for these higher values are certified by the independent grading services and the piece has to be very nice with good luster and few marks to make one of the more expensive grades like MS64, but those pieces sell for $100 with no mint makr and $200 with mint mark.  Go to www.ebay.com and do a search for 1926 dollar and you'll see quite a few selling and can see the pictures and what prices are asked (and even better what prices are being bid).  Jim Lawniczak