The 1921 Peace Dollar holds a unique place in American numismatics as both the first year of issue and the only year struck in high relief. Designed by Anthony de Francisci to commemorate the end of World War I, the coin was intended as a symbol of peace and renewal. Liberty’s youthful profile, crowned with radiant spikes, and the reverse eagle perched on a rock with the word “PEACE” below, created a modern, idealistic vision of America’s role in the postwar world.

This drawing, however, is not a reproduction of a single coin but a fantasy composition modeled after three different certified examples. By blending their strongest features, the rendering captures the essence of the 1921 Peace Dollar at its most idealized: Liberty’s portrait fully struck, the eagle’s feathers crisply defined, and the fields free of the abrasions that so often plague survivors of this issue. The result is a vision of the coin as it might appear in a perfect state of preservation, unmarred by the realities of circulation or minting limitations.

The 1921 Peace Dollar was struck in relatively small numbers—just over one million pieces—yet its high‑relief format proved impractical for mass production. Dies shattered quickly, and the Mint soon abandoned the format in favor of a lower‑relief design beginning in 1922. The technical difficulties of the high‑relief format meant that even freshly struck coins often showed weakness in detail, making fully realized examples especially prized today.

Auction records for certified 1921 High Reliefs in top grades regularly reach into six figures, with MS66 and MS67 examples commanding extraordinary premiums. Proofs and satin finish specimens, such as those from the Jack Lee and Kenny Porter collections, are legendary rarities. While this drawing is not tied to a specific certification or provenance, it draws inspiration from such celebrated survivors, distilling their beauty into a single, unified vision.

The historical resonance of the Peace Dollar is profound. It was the last silver dollar struck for circulation in the United States, and its design reflects both the optimism and fragility of the interwar period. The 1921 High Relief, in particular, embodies the sculptural ambition of de Francisci’s original vision, before practicality forced compromise. Its bold relief and dramatic presence make it one of the most artistically significant silver dollars ever produced.

As a fantasy rendering, this piece occupies a different but equally meaningful space: it is not a coin, but an artistic meditation on what the 1921 Peace Dollar represents. By synthesizing the finest attributes of three distinct examples, the drawing creates a numismatic ideal—an homage to the artistry, symbolism, and enduring allure of America’s last great silver dollar. In doing so, it bridges the gap between numismatic history and artistic imagination, offering a vision of the Peace Dollar as it was always meant to be seen.