9 Most Valuable Presidential Dollar Coins That Could Be Worth Thousands

Most Valuable Presidential Dollar Coins That Could Be Worth Thousands: Back in 2007, the U.S. Mint started a special program called the Presidential Dollar Coin program. The idea was to make dollar coins that honor all the past presidents of the United States, one by one, while also getting people to use dollar coins instead of paper dollar bills for everyday stuff like buying snacks or paying for parking.

Each coin shows a president on one side and some cool designs on the other. They made a lot of these coins, so you might think they’re not worth much more than $1 each. But here’s the thing—some of these coins are super rare and valuable because of mistakes that happened when they were made, or because they were made in small batches, or because they have something really unique about them.

For people who collect coins or want to make money from them, some of these Presidential Dollar Coins can be worth thousands of dollars! Let’s take a long and simple look at the nine most valuable ones out there.

1. The 2007 Washington Error Dollar

The very first coin in the Presidential Dollar series was for George Washington, the first U.S. president. It came out in 2007. Normally, these coins have some words written on the edge, like the year, the mint mark (a little letter showing where the coin was made), and sayings like “In God We Trust” and “E Pluribus Unum,” which means “Out of Many, One” in Latin. But some of these Washington Dollars were made by mistake with no writing on the edge at all. That’s called a “missing edge lettering” error, and it makes the coin super rare and special for collectors.

Also Read: 10 Most Valuable Silver Dollars That Could Be Worth a Fortune

In 2022, one of these error coins sold for over $10,000 at an auction. It’s worth so much because there aren’t many like it, and the mistake makes it a one-of-a-kind treasure.

2. The 2007 Adams Error Dollar

The second coin in the series was for John Adams, the second president, also made in 2007. Just like with the Washington coin, some of these Adams Dollars had a mistake with the edge lettering. Instead of being straight and neat, the words were misaligned, meaning they weren’t in the right spot, or they weren’t complete. This kind of mistake doesn’t happen often, so it makes the coin way more valuable than a regular one.

In 2023, one of these misaligned edge lettering Adams Dollars, in really good condition (graded MS-66), sold for $7,500. Collectors love it because it looks different and because it’s so hard to find.

3. The 2008 Jefferson Error Dollar

Next up is the 2008 Thomas Jefferson Dollar, honoring the third president. Some of these coins have a rare mistake called “double edge lettering.” That means the words on the edge—like the year and “In God We Trust”—were stamped on there twice by accident. So instead of seeing the words once, you see them overlapping or repeated. It’s a really noticeable mistake, and it makes the coin stand out big time.

In 2021, one of these double-edge-lettering Jefferson Dollars sold for $6,000. It’s valuable because it looks so cool and because there aren’t many out there with this exact error.

4. The 2009 Lincoln Error Dollar

The 2009 Abraham Lincoln Dollar is part of the series honoring the 16th president. Some of these coins have a very strange mistake where the back side (called the reverse) is completely blank. Normally, the back has designs like the Statue of Liberty, but on these error coins, there’s nothing there—just a smooth, empty surface. That’s a big deal because it’s not supposed to happen, and it makes the coin really rare.

Also Read: 9 Most Valuable Half Dollars in History

In 2022, one of these blank-reverse Lincoln Dollars sold for $5,500 at an auction. People want it because it’s so unusual and because there are so few of them around.

5. The 2010 Fillmore Dollar

The 2010 Millard Fillmore Dollar honors the 13th president. Some of these coins were made with a mistake called an “off-center strike.” That means when they pressed the design onto the metal, it wasn’t lined up right, so the picture of Fillmore and the designs on the other side are shifted off to one side instead of being in the middle. It makes the coin look kind of funny and different from a normal one.

In 2023, one of these off-center Fillmore Dollars in great condition sold for $4,800. Collectors like it because it’s quirky and because errors like this don’t happen very often.

6. The 2012 Cleveland Dollar

The 2012 Grover Cleveland Dollar is for the 22nd and 24th president (he served two separate terms). Some of these coins have a super rare mistake called a “mule error.” A mule error happens when the front (obverse) and back (reverse) of the coin don’t match—they come from different coin designs that weren’t supposed to go together. For this coin, they accidentally paired the front of a Presidential Dollar with a back that didn’t belong to it, maybe from another type of coin altogether.

In 2021, one of these mule error Cleveland Dollars sold for $4,200. It’s a big deal because it’s so unique and because it tells a story about a mistake at the mint.

7. The 2014 Monroe Dollar

The 2014 James Monroe Dollar honors the fifth president. Some of these coins have a really interesting error where they were accidentally made on a smaller piece of metal meant for a quarter instead of the bigger metal piece (called a planchet) meant for a dollar coin. So the coin comes out smaller than it’s supposed to be, and some of the design gets cut off because it doesn’t fit on the tiny metal.

In 2022, one of these quarter-sized Monroe Dollars sold for $3,800. It’s valuable because it’s so different from a normal dollar coin and because there aren’t many like it.

8. The 2016 Grant Dollar

The 2016 Ulysses S. Grant Dollar is for the 18th president. Some of these coins have what’s called a “clipped planchet error.” That means before the coin was made, a piece of the metal got cut off by mistake, so when they pressed the design onto it, there’s a chunk missing. It usually looks like a crescent-shaped bite taken out of the edge of the coin, which makes it look pretty cool.

In 2023, one of these clipped planchet Grant Dollars in good condition sold for $3,500. People like it because it’s eye-catching and because errors like this are hard to come by.

Also Read: Top 10 Dimes That Could Make You Rich

9. The 2017 Kennedy Half Dollar

This one’s really wild. In 2017, some coins came out with a huge mistake: they mixed up the designs of a Presidential Dollar and a Kennedy Half Dollar. The front of the coin was from the Presidential Dollar series (showing a president), but the back was from a Kennedy Half Dollar (which usually shows an eagle). This kind of mistake is called a “mule” because it combines two things that don’t go together. It’s super rare because the U.S. Mint has strict rules to stop this kind of thing from happening.

In 2021, one of these mule error coins sold for $3,000. Collectors love it because it’s so unusual and because it crosses two different coin series.

Why Are These Presidential Dollars Worth So Much?

There are a few big reasons why these coins can sell for thousands of dollars:

• They’re Rare: Mistakes like missing edge lettering, double lettering, or mule errors don’t happen a lot, so there aren’t many coins like them out there.
• They’re in Good Shape: A coin that looks almost brand new is worth way more than one that’s scratched or worn out. The grades (like MS-66) tell you how nice the coin looks.
• They Have Special Meaning: These coins are part of a series that celebrates U.S. presidents, so they’re tied to history and patriotism, which makes them more interesting.
• They Look Unique: The mistakes on these coins—like a blank side or a missing piece—make them stand out and catch people’s attention.

Could You Have One of These in Your Change Jar?

It’s not super likely that you’d find one of these rare Presidential Dollars just floating around in your pocket change, but it’s not impossible either! People who collect coins often look through rolls of coins from the bank, check out old collections at estate sales, or browse online marketplaces to find special ones. If you have a Presidential Dollar that looks weird—like it has funny writing, a strange shape, or something else that doesn’t seem right—it might be worth a lot. You could take it to a coin expert to get it checked out. Who knows? It could be a treasure!