Commems Collection Modern: 1992 White House Bicentennial / The Coin

Sales for the 1992 White House Bicentennial Silver Dollar kicked off on July 17, 1992. Per the program's enacting legislation, the coin was to be available for a one-year period beginning May 1, 1992 - unless a sellout of the 500,000 coins authorized took place before May 1993 (which it did!). (Yes, the coin availability missed its target date.)

Obverse Design The north portico of the White House.

Obverse Designer Edgar Z. Steever

Reverse Design Bust of James Hoban, the first architect of the White House, along with the Hoban-designed Main Entrance to the mansion.

Reverse Designer Chester Y. Martin

Note: Steever and Martin were each part of the US Mint staff and handled the design and sculpt of their assigned coin side; the Mint's Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) did not launch until 2003, so no outside designers were engaged for the coin.

Coin Specifications

Diameter: 1.50 Inches
Weight: 26.73 Grams
Composition: 90% Silver, 10% Copper
Actual Silver Weight ("ASW"): 0.7736 Troy Ounces
Edge: Reeded
Mint: Proof - West Point; Uncirculated - Denver

The Silver Dollar sold out its authorized mintage of 500,000 within a couple of months of release, with final sales totaling 499,654 units (375,851 Proof, 123,803 Uncirculated). (The coin's mintage - low for the time, was a key driver.)

I recall receiving offers from coin dealers regarding my Uncirculated example - they were the first time I had received an unsolicited offer for a modern US commemorative Silver Dollar that included a significant premium over issue price. (I didn't sell.) Over the years, as excitement over the coin faded and more perspective was attained regarding its mintage, the White House Silver Dollar's market price became driven primarily by then-current bullion pricing vs. market demand/numismatic premium. The coin is generally available in today's marketplace for those interested.

The Proof version of the coin was originally offered at $28.00, increasing to $32.00 after the Pre-Issue period expired (through August 28, 1992). The prices for the Uncirculated version were $23.00 and $25.00, respectively. (Retail prices reached $100+ during the period of peak interest!)

The coin's Sell Out generated nearly $5 million for the White House Endowment Fund . The program was definitely a modern series success story.

1992 White House Bicentennial Silver Dollar



For a discussion of the 1992 White House Bicentennial Silver Dollar's journey in Congress, see Part I / In Congress of this story.


You may also enjoy having a look at 1992 White House Bicentennial PNC.


For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more about modern US commemorative coins, see: Commems Collection