1993 Walking Liberty Silver Dollar Value Guide

Silver coins are among the hottest items many collectors would love to have. That’s why the 1993 silver Liberty dollar is popular among numismatists. 

What Is the 1993 American Silver Dollar Made Of?

photo source: PCGS

The 1993 American silver dollar is made of 99.93% Silver and 0.07% Copper. It has the following specifications:

• Fineness: 0.09993
• Actual silver weight (ASW): 1 ounce
• Weight: 31.10 grams
• Edge: Reeded
• Diameter: 40.6 mm

The United States Mint started to produce its bullion series in 1986. Thus, the 1993 American Silver dollar is the 8th of this bullion series. The bullion series was ratified on July 9, 1985, by the Title II of Public Law 99-61 as part of the Liberty Coin Act. After the approval, the Liberty silver dollar was minted in San Francisco, West Point, and Philadelphia.

The coin was struck in the one troy ounce, equivalent to the one-dollar face value of the coin. The US Mint guarantees the coin is made of 99.9% pure silver. What’s great about the 1993 American silver dollar is that it can be used to fund IRA (Individual Retirement Account) investments.

There were two designers for the silver coin. The obverse, which was the walking Liberty design, was prepared by Adolph Weinman. As you may have remembered, the Walking Liberty was the original design of the 50-cent coin that was struck from 1916 to 1947.

Aside from the walking Liberty, the obverse also comes with inscriptions that include the following:

• LIBERTY
• IN GOD WE TRUST
• 1993

The reverse, which was the American Eagle design, was prepared by John Mercanti. The same design was used from 1986 to 2021. In 2021, the reverse was changed to use the American Eagle design of Emily Damstra.

For the 1993 silver dollar, the reverse features the Heraldic eagle with a shield. There are 13 stars above its head. The inscriptions include the following:

• UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• 1 OZ. FINE SILVER-ONE DOLLAR
• Mint mark (if present)
• Designer’s initials

1993 American Silver Dollar Varieties

There are four types of 1993 American silver dollar coins based on their place of mintage. These coins don’t differ that much. The only big difference is that the proof coin version has a mint mark, P.

The American silver dollar coins from the Philadelphia, San Francisco, and West Point mints are nearly identical. All of them don’t have mint marks. So, you can’t tell them apart. However, we have included in the table below the breakdown of the mintage figure based on where they are minted.

Here’s a quick look at the 1993 American Silver dollar varieties:

Here’s a deeper look at each of the varieties.

1993 S American Silver Dollar

Photo Source: USA Coin Book

The San Francisco Mint produced over 1.2 million Liberty silver dollars in 1993. The uncirculated version would cost around $30.

1993 W American Silver Dollar

Photo Source: USA Coin Book

The West Point Mint produced the second most abundant number of the Liberty silver dollar in 1993, with more than 5.5 million. As you can see, the design is just the same as the coins produced by the San Francisco Mint.

1993 P American Silver Dollar

Photo Source: PCGS

With more than 6.7 million, the Philadelphia Mint produced the most 1993 Liberty silver dollar coins. The price can start around $39.

1994 P Proof American Silver Dollar

Photo Source: PCGS

In addition to the regularly struck coins, the Philadelphia Mint also produced proof American Silver dollars. The value is higher than the other variants since proof coins are made with extra care. Aside from that, proof coins are more attractive in appearance.

List of 1993 Silver Dollar Errors

Errors in the 1993 silver dollar coin series aren’t well known. With just a little more than 7 million coins issued and the careful minting process applied, there aren’t a lot of errors in this series.

However, the most common errors found in US coins, which could also be found in the 1993 silver dollar coins, would be the following:

• Doubled die error – the coin was struck twice by the die, doubling some engraved elements.
• Struck through error – a foreign object was stuck between the die and the planchet. The die then strikes through the foreign object, which can lead to a weak strike, or the foreign object gets engraved into the coin.
• Off-center error – there’s a misalignment in the die and planchet. The die hits the planchet at the wrong angle, leaving some of the coin unstruck.

How Much Is the 1993 Silver Dollar Worth Today?

The face value of the 1993 silver coin is one dollar. Its melt value is higher because of the silver content. At the time of this writing, the melt value of the 1993 silver dollar is $22.38. This can increase or decrease depending on the market value of silver.

The average price of a standard struck 1993 silver dollar is around $30 to $40. Proof coins are more expensive, costing around $50 to $100.

To give you an idea of the value of the 1993 silver dollar, here’s a values chart for you to check:

How Does The Grading System Work?

The 1993 Liberty silver dollar is graded based on its appearance, color, strike, and preservation. Appraisers use the Sheldon Coin Grading Scale to guide them in grading 1993 silver dollar coins.

Professional numismatists joined in the 1970s and established CoinGrading standards, known as the Sheldon Scale. These numismatists now assign grades at key places on the seventy-point scale, using the most regularly utilized numeric points in conjunction with the original adjective grade. The following are the most common coin grades:

• (P-1) Poor – Indistinguishable and probably damaged; if used, must have a date and mintmark; otherwise, rather battered.
• (FR-2) Fair – Nearly smooth, but without the damage that a coin graded Poor often possesses. The coin must have enough detail to be identified.
• (G-4) Fair – Inscriptions have merged into the rims in some areas, and important elements have been mostly erased.
• (VG-8) Very Good- A little weathered, but all primary design elements are visible, albeit faintly. There is little, if any, central detail left.
• (F-12) Good – The item is very worn, yet the wear is even, and the overall design details stand out clearly. Rims are almost completely isolated from the field.
• (VF-20) Very Fine – Moderately weathered, with some finer features still visible. The motto or all letters of LIBERTY are readable. Both sides of the coin have entire rims separated from the field.
• (EF-40) Extremely Fine – Gently used; all gadgets are visible, and the most important ones are bold. The finer details are bold and clear; however, light wear may be seen.
• (AU-50) Uncirculated – Slight evidence of wear on the coin’s design’s high points; it may have contact marks; eye appeal should be adequate.
• (AU-58) Uncirculated Choice – Slight traces of wear, no severe contact marks, almost full mint shine, and great eye appeal.
• (MS-60) Mint State Basal – Strictly uncirculated; no indication of wear on the coin’s highest points, but an unsightly coin with reduced luster, visible contact marks, hairlines, and other flaws.
• (MS-63) Mint State Acceptable – Uncirculated, but with contact scratches and nicks, little reduced shine, but otherwise appealing appearance. The strike is weak to average.
• (MS-65) Mint State Choice – Uncirculated with great mint shine, little contact blemishes, and exceptional eye appeal. The strike is unusually severe.
• (MS-68) Mint State Premium Quality – Uncirculated with superb luster, no obvious contact marks to the naked eye, and exceptional eye appeal. The strike is quick and appealing.
• (MS-69) Almost Perfect Mint State – Uncirculated with perfect brilliance, a sharp and appealing strike, and extremely good eye appeal. A near-perfect coin with minor imperfections in the planchet, strike, and contact markings (seen only under 8x magnification).
• (MS-70) Mint State Perfect – Under 8x magnification, no tiny imperfections are discernible; the strike is crisp, and the coin is perfectly centered on a beautiful planchet. Rarely seen on a coin, this coin is bright and whole, with original luster and exceptional eye appeal.

Where to Buy or Sell the 1993 Silver Dollar?

The 1993 silver dollar is available online. You can visit websites such as Coin Appraisers, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and USA Coin Book. You can also do a Google search, and you should get many helpful results.

You can also visit coin shops and auction houses. These places are known to buy and sell 1993 silver dollars. Aside from that, PCGS has authorized coin dealers across the country. You can get in touch with them to learn more.

FAQs

Where is the mint mark on a 1993 silver dollar?

The 1993 silver dollar only has the P mint mark on its proof coin version. The P mint mark is visible on the obverse side of the coin. You should find it at the lower left side of the eagle, just below the olive branch or above the letter “E” of the word “FINE.”

How much is a 1993 uncirculated silver dollar worth?

The 1993 uncirculated silver dollar can cost around $30. However, the price can increase depending on the condition and rarity of the coin. Just to give you an example, a 1993 uncirculated silver dollar with a grade of MS 70 was sold for $7,638 on January 9, 2013.

What is a 1993 1 oz fine silver dollar worth?

The 1993 1 oz fine silver dollar has a melt value of around $20 to $25, depending on the market value of silver. It can also be more expensive if sold in the open market. Some 1993 silver dollars were sold for hundreds and thousands of dollars.