How to Find a 1794 Flowing Hair Dollar Specimen Strike

The 1794 Flowing Hair dollar is the first silver dollar struck by the United States Mint, and one particular example—a specially prepared specimen strike believed to be the very first coin off the dies—is the most valuable coin ever sold at auction. A search for this exact coin returning nothing is the expected outcome, not a search problem.

GetCoinHunt helps you search inventory from multiple coin dealers in one place, and lets you save a wishlist alert for coins that aren’t currently available—which, for a coin like this one, is most of the time.

What makes the 1794 Flowing Hair dollar specimen strike important to collectors?

Documented Fact ^[1] The Philadelphia Mint struck the first United States silver dollars in October 1794. Roughly 2,000 pieces are believed to have been coined, but Mint Director David Rittenhouse rejected many for poor strike quality, and only 1,758 were formally delivered—the rest were likely melted and recoined into the 1795 issue, a mintage history documented by PCGS CoinFacts and repeated in Stack’s Bowers’s cataloging of the issue. Census Estimate ^[2] Today an estimated 150 to 200 examples of the 1794 dollar are known to survive in any condition, making the date rare across the board.

Accepted Interpretation One example stands apart from the rest. Its planchet was specially prepared—burnished and polished with wet sand before striking—producing fully reflective, prooflike surfaces far sharper than the typically weak strikes seen on regular 1794 dollars. PCGS examined the coin’s die state and concluded it may well be the very first silver dollar the Mint ever struck, awarding it the designation “Specimen” with a grade of SP66, per PCGS CoinFacts and the PCGS population report for the date.

Documented Fact ^[3] Known today as the Cardinal-Morelan specimen, this coin previously sold in a private treaty sale reported at $7,850,000—at the time a record for any coin. It broke its own record when it sold again at a Stack’s Bowers auction on January 24, 2013, for $10,016,875, becoming the first coin in history to sell at auction for more than $10 million.

How to identify a 1794 Flowing Hair dollar specimen strike

In practice, “identifying” this specific coin means recognizing that it is a single, already-documented piece—not screening ordinary 1794 dollars for a hidden treasure.

Understand the difference from a regular-strike 1794 dollar

A standard 1794 Flowing Hair dollar, even in choice condition, is a weakly struck coin—centers are often soft, and full detail across the whole design is rare. The specimen-strike example is different in kind, not just grade: its fields are mirrored and reflective in a way ordinary 1794 dollars never are, because the planchet itself was specially prepared before striking.

Recognize that this is a pedigreed, tracked coin

The Cardinal-Morelan specimen has a documented ownership history stretching back through major auction and private-treaty sales. Any coin offered as this specific piece should be verified directly against its known certification number and sale history, not taken on a seller’s word.

Focus on genuine 1794 dollars generally, if that’s your actual goal

If your interest is owning a 1794 Flowing Hair dollar rather than this one unique specimen, regular-strike examples do appear at auction and through specialist dealers, typically in well-worn grades, and represent a completely different (and dramatically more attainable, though still five- and six-figure) purchase.

Buying considerations

This is not inventory you’ll find through routine dealer search

A coin that last traded for over $10 million moves through major specialist auction houses, not general dealer listings. Treat any offer of “the” 1794 specimen-strike dollar with serious skepticism unless it comes with verifiable, traceable provenance matching the coin’s known history.

For regular 1794 dollars, authentication is everything

Even ordinary 1794 dollars are valuable enough to attract counterfeits and later-date alterations. Certification from PCGS or NGC, with the certification number verified directly on the grading service’s website, is essential before any purchase at this level.

Understand what a “no results” search means here

GetCoinHunt does not manufacture or guarantee inventory. For a coin this rare and this closely tracked, an empty search result is simply an accurate reflection of the market—not every historic coin is available for purchase at any given time.

Suggested search terms and filters

Since the specific specimen-strike coin is not realistically available, consider:

“1794 Flowing Hair dollar” (regular-strike examples, when offered)
“1794 silver dollar PCGS” or “1794 silver dollar NGC” (certified examples only)

If you specifically want to be notified in the rare event this coin or one like it is offered, save “1794 Flowing Hair Dollar” to your wishlist rather than expecting routine search results.

Availability and pricing notes

Regular-strike 1794 Flowing Hair dollars, when they do appear, sell in the high five to seven figures depending on grade and condition, reflecting both the coin’s extreme rarity (an estimated 150 to 200 known survivors across all grades) and its status as the first U.S. silver dollar. The specimen-strike example discussed here is not a market with routine comparables—it is a single coin whose last recorded sale was $10,016,875 in 2013.

GetCoinHunt does not guarantee that any listing represents a genuine example of a historic rarity. For coins at this level, independent verification through the grading services’ own certification lookup and published auction records is essential.

How the GetCoinHunt wishlist alert works

Search for the coin. Enter “1794 Flowing Hair Dollar” to check current dealer inventory.
Expect limited or no matches. Genuine 1794 dollars are scarce at any price point, and the specimen-strike example is a single, already-owned coin.
Add it to your wishlist. You’ll be notified if participating dealer inventory ever includes a matching listing.
Verify independently before buying. For a coin at this value level, confirm certification and provenance directly with the grading service before treating any listing as genuine.

Frequently asked questions

What makes this particular 1794 dollar different from other 1794 dollars?

Its planchet was specially prepared and burnished before striking, producing mirrored, prooflike surfaces. PCGS designated it a “Specimen” strike and graded it SP66, believing it may be the first silver dollar the Mint ever struck.

How much has it sold for?

It sold in an earlier private treaty sale for $7,850,000, then at auction for $10,016,875 on January 24, 2013 through Stack’s Bowers—the first coin ever to sell at auction for more than $10 million. For the exact date of the private sale, confirm directly with Stack’s Bowers or PCGS CoinFacts, as published accounts of the coin’s full sale history vary slightly on that detail.

How many 1794 Flowing Hair dollars exist in total?

An estimated 150 to 200 examples are believed to survive across all grades, out of roughly 1,758 pieces originally delivered by the Mint.

Can I realistically buy a 1794 Flowing Hair dollar?

Regular-strike examples do come to market through major auction houses and specialist dealers, typically in circulated grades, for prices in the high five to seven figures. The specimen-strike coin discussed here is a single, already-owned piece and is not expected to appear in routine dealer inventory.

Why did so few 1794 dollars survive?

Silver dollars circulated heavily and were often melted for their silver content or exported, as was common with early U.S. silver coinage. Poor strike quality on many 1794 examples also affects how many survive in presentable condition.

Should I trust a listing claiming to sell “the” 1794 specimen-strike dollar?

Only if its certification number and provenance can be independently verified against the coin’s documented ownership history. A coin with this level of value and public sale history should never be purchased on a seller’s description alone.

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