2008-S Martin Van Buren Presidential Dollar Proof : A Collector’s Guide

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..

The 2008-S Martin Van Buren Presidential Dollar Proof is a collector version of the Martin Van Buren Dollar coin struck at the San Francisco Mint as part of the Presidential Dollar series.

Congress intended the release of these designs, honoring America’s past Presidents, to engage the American public with the nation’s history and revitalize the failing golden dollar coin program. Instead, by the end of the program’s second year, it was clear that the relaunched dollar coin program would fare no better than the Sacagawea Dollar, which had launched with great fanfare in 2000, only to disappear from circulation shortly thereafter.

The publicity surrounding the Presidential Dollars after the program’s launch was largely negative, focusing on a flaw in the Mint’s production process, that occasionally resulted in coins struck without edge lettering.

The conspiratorial minded claimed that the Mint had purposefully removed IN GOD WE TRUST from the new coins and labelled the coins “Godless Dollars”.

These “Godless Dollars” became instant collectibles, with examples being found to exist across the series. This issue only impacted circulation strike coins, however. Due to the Mint’s stringent quality controls, the Proofs with missing edge lettering are not known to exist.

Congress, embarrassed by the news coverage and public outrage, forced the Mint to move the motto to the obverse of the coins starting in 2009.

The Van Buren Dollar Proof was one of four designs released in 2008, joining dollar coins honoring James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, and Andrew Jackson.

Martin Van Buren’s Complicated Legacy

Martin Van Buren, the eighth president of the United States, served from 1837 to 1841. The first president born on U.S. soil and a native Dutch speaker, he was one of only two presidents to reach the office without military service or a college education. He was also the first to have an indoor toilet and is credited by some with inventing the modern two-party political system.

A skilled politician, Van Buren faced intense criticism due to his close ties to his predecessor, Andrew Jackson. Economic troubles stemming from Jackson’s anti-bank policies triggered a depression that persisted into the early 1840s. Van Buren also continued Jackson’s controversial Indian removal policy.

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2008-S Martin Van Buren Presidential Dollar Proof Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens

NGC has certified significantly more 2008-S Martin Van Buren Presidential Dollar Proofs than PCGS. CAC, which started grading modern coins in 2023 with its encapsulation service, has graded only 13 of these coins so far.

Recent eBay sales indicate that a “perfect” Proof 70 2008-S Martin Van Buren Presidential Dollar Proof is worth less than the cost of encapsulation. For example, one sold for $2.25 on April 28, 2025, after two bids. NGC Proof 70s typically sell for around $10, while PCGS coins command slightly higher prices.

Top Population: PCGS PR70DCAM (1,377, 5/2025), NGC PF70UCAM (7,608, 5/2025), and CAC PR70DCAM (2, 5/2025).

• NGC PF70UCAM: eBay, May 2, 2025 – $9.99. Buy It Now.
• NGC PF70UCAM: eBay, April 28, 2025 – $2.25. 2 bids.
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, April 27, 2025 – $29. 1 bid.
• NGC PF70UCAM: eBay, April 13, 2025 – $9.50. 2 bids.
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, April 7, 2025 – $15.09. 5 bids.
• NGC PF70UCAM: eBay, March 26, 2025 – $9.99 Buy It Now.
• NGC PF70UCAM: eBay, March 17, 2025 – $10.95. Buy It Now.
• NGC PF70UCAM: eBay, March 1, 2025 – $12.27. 10 bids.
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, February 7, 2025 – $6.50. 5 bids.

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Design

Obverse:

Martin Van Buren faces forward. His name is emblazoned at the top of the design, while the inscription 8th PRESIDENT 1837-1841 is placed below the portrait. The initials JI (Joel Iskowitz) and PH (Phebe Hemphill) appear on Van Buren’s lapels.

Common Reverse:

Don Everhart’s reverse design features an ant’s-eye view of the Statue of Liberty offset to the left. On the coin, Liberty occupies the bottom right quadrant of the coin, her extended elbow being the coin’s center point. The design is framed by a thin inner circle, which separates the graphic design from the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Beneath Liberty’s extended torch-bearing arm is the denomination $1. This is the common reverse design for all Presidential Dollar coins.

Edge:

The edge of the Presidential Dollar is lettered and features the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM, the mintmark, the year of issuance, and 13 five-pointed stars. This edge inscription may be oriented facing the obverse (Position A) or the reverse (Position B).

Van Buren Dollar Proof Coin Specifications

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