How to Find a 1964-D Peace Dollar

The 1964-D Peace dollar occupies an unusual place in American numismatics: it was struck, officially destroyed, and—according to the U.S. government—no longer exists anywhere outside government hands. No genuine example has ever been authenticated in private ownership.

GetCoinHunt helps you search inventory from multiple coin dealers in one place and create a wishlist alert. For this coin, that alert exists to flag any claimed offering for the scrutiny it would require—not because ordinary dealer inventory is a place you should expect to find one.

What makes the 1964-D Peace dollar historically significant?

In 1965, Congress authorized a limited revival of silver dollar coinage, and the Denver Mint struck 1964-dated Peace dollars between May 13 and May 24, 1965—the last silver dollars struck for circulation before the design was retired. Coin collectors and coin dealers objected to the release on the grounds that it would fuel speculation and disrupt the coin market, and the program was cancelled before any coins were officially issued.

The Mint reported that it melted the entire run under security supervision. However, the melting was verified by weighing the returned coins and scrap together rather than by counting individual pieces, which is the detail that has fueled decades of speculation that a small number could have been diverted before destruction. In May 1973, the U.S. Treasury formally declared that any surviving 1964-D Peace dollars remain U.S. government property, making private ownership illegal and any such coin subject to confiscation.

No example has ever been authenticated as genuine in private hands. The coin’s official status remains that it does not exist outside government control.

How to evaluate a claimed 1964-D Peace dollar

Understand what you’d actually be looking at

Because the entire authorized mintage was ordered destroyed and no example has ever been legally authenticated in private ownership, a coin presented as a genuine 1964-D Peace dollar is not an ordinary collectible—it would be, under the government’s stated position, illegal to own and subject to seizure regardless of who currently holds it.

Treat any offer with extreme skepticism

Numismatic history includes many attempts to alter genuine Peace dollars from other years and mints (adding a “D” mint mark, or altering the date) to imitate a 1964-D. Any coin presented as genuine should be examined by a major grading service, and given the coin’s legal status, discussed with independent legal counsel before any transaction is considered.

Know the legal consequences

Even setting aside authenticity, U.S. Treasury policy treats any surviving example as government property. This is a materially different situation from other rare coins, where the main risk is simply overpaying for a counterfeit—here, even a genuine example carries legal risk for whoever holds it.

Suggested search terms and filters

A search for “1964-D Peace dollar” in ordinary dealer inventory should be expected to return no legitimate results. That is the correct outcome for a coin the government maintains does not exist in private hands—not a sign the search tool is failing.

Availability and pricing notes

There is no established legitimate market for this coin. No verified sale of a genuine example has occurred, and none is expected to, given its legal status.

How the GetCoinHunt wishlist alert works

1. Search for the coin to confirm nothing questionable is currently listed.
2. Add it to your wishlist if you want to be notified of any claimed listing, purely so you can evaluate it with appropriate caution.
3. Treat any match as high-risk. Consult independent legal and numismatic advice before any transaction, and be aware that even a genuine example would likely be subject to government claim.

Frequently asked questions

Does a real 1964-D Peace dollar exist?

None has ever been authenticated in private hands. The U.S. government’s official position is that the entire mintage was destroyed, though the melting was verified by weight rather than by counting individual coins, which has kept speculation alive.

Is it legal to own a 1964-D Peace dollar?

No. The U.S. Treasury declared in 1973 that any surviving examples are government property, making private ownership illegal.

How many were struck?

Per U.S. Mint records, 316,076 were struck at the Denver Mint in May 1965, before the program was cancelled and the coins ordered destroyed.

What should I do if someone offers to sell me one?

Treat it with extreme skepticism. Given the coin’s legal status, consult independent legal advice, and do not treat a seller’s claims or an informal authentication as sufficient before any transaction.

Why does the coin still get discussed if none legally exist?

Its unusual history—struck, then destroyed under a weight-based verification rather than an individual count—keeps the possibility of a surviving example a subject of ongoing numismatic interest, even without any confirmed sighting.

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