Collectors Corner^SM: The Collectibles Marketplace

The 1987 U.S. Constitution Silver Dollar and Half Eagle commemorate the 200th anniversary of the creation of the U.S. Constitution. Courtesy of PCGS TrueView. Click image to enlarge.

The United States Constitution is the foundational document that legally provides for so many of the rights that shape the unique freedoms Americans enjoy. The U.S. Constitution was created in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787, ratified on June 21, 1788, and went into effect on March 4, 1789. It has been amended 27 times, with the first 10 amendments forming the Bill of Rights. The latter amendments cover a variety of other protections now enshrined in the federal Constitution.

The 200th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution in 1987 inspired a flurry of commemorative collectibles honoring the bicentennial of one of the nation’s most important documents. Among these special issues were two U.S. commemorative coins paying homage to the Constitution. These are a silver dollar and gold half eagle, both of which were struck in proof and uncirculated formats.

The 1987 U.S. Constitution Bicentennial Silver Dollar was designed by Patricia Lewis Verani. The obverse carries a motif centering on a large quill pen and a sheet of parchment paper; emblazoned across the devices are the words “WE THE PEOPLE” in classic font. The reverse shows an arrangement of people representing all walks of life. Meanwhile, the 1987 U.S. Constitution Bicentennial Half Eagle designed by Marcel Jovine showcases a stylized eagle clutching a quill pen, with an upright quill pen shown on the reverse and superimposed by the words “WE THE PEOPLE.”

The Philadelphia Mint struck 451,629 of the uncirculated silver dollars along with 2,747,116 proofs from San Francisco. As for the half eagles, the West Point Mint produced both the uncirculated strikes and proofs, with 214,225 of the former and 651,659 of the latter. All told, the U.S. Constitution coins represent among the largest mintages seen with the modern U.S. commemorative coin program; though higher mintages were seen with the 1982 George Washington and 1986 Statue of Liberty coin programs, production figures for the U.S. commemorative program as a whole started dropping off significantly over the next several years after the 1987 U.S. Constitution issues.

Collectors wishing to add the 1987 U.S. Constitution commemorative coins to their PCGS Registry Sets have many avenues for doing so. These options include a specialty set dedicated to only the 1987 Constitution dollar and half eagle known as Constitution Modern Commemoratives, Circulation Strikes and Proof (1987). There are also more than a dozen other PCGS Registry Sets that accommodate the 1987 U.S. Constitution coins, giving collectors ample opportunities to numismatically nod to one of the most important documents in United States history.