The Silver Dollar was authorized by Congress April 2, 1792. The first issues appeared in 1794 and until 1804 all silver dollars had the value stamped on the edge: HUNDRED CENTS, ONE DOLLAR OR UNIT. After a lapse of the silver dollar covering the period 1804 to 1840, these coins had reeded edges and the value was placed on the reverse side.
When you hear the word "dollar," you may think first of the basic unit of money in the United States, whether paper or golden coins. But our first dollars were coins made of silver. The word "dollar" comes from the German word "Thaler," which was a large silver German coin.
Because these silver "Thalers" were popular everywhere, other countries began making their own versions. American colonists were used to the "Spanish dollar," a coin often used in the nearby lands that traded with the colonies. So "dollar" was a pretty easy choice as a name for the brand-new currency of the United States.
The dollar was one of the first silver coins made, back in 1794. Since then the dollar coin has been minted periodically with different versions of Liberty and other individuals on the obverse, including those of President Dwight D. Eisenhower (made 1971-1978), suffragist Susan B. Anthony (1979-1981, 1999), Sacagawea (2000-2008), Native American (2009-Date) and Presidential Dollars (2007-Date)
