2010-P Franklin Pierce Presidential $1 Coin : A Collector’s Guide

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes ….

The 2010-P Franklin Pierce Presidential Dollar is a one-dollar coin struck at the Philadelphia Mint as part of the Presidential Dollar series. Congress intended to release these designs honoring America’s past Presidents to engage the American public with the nation’s history and reinvigorate the flagging golden dollar coin program.

The Pierce Dollar was the second release of the year, preceded by the Millard Fillmore Presidential Dollar, and was later joined by dollar coins honoring James Buchanan and Abraham Lincoln. Circulation quality versions of the design were struck at the Philadelphia and Denver Mints. A Proof version was struck at the San Francisco Mint. The 2010-P (Philadelphia) version can be identified by the presence of the P mintmark on the coin’s edge.

Pierce, From Nepobaby to Presidential Dark Horse Candidate

Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States, was born into a prominent political family in Hillsborough, New Hampshire, on November 23, 1804. His father, Benjamin Pierce, was a two-time governor of New Hampshire, instilling in young Franklin an early exposure to public life. Pierce attended Bowdoin College in Maine, graduating in 1824. Though initially more focused on social life, he eventually applied himself to his studies, graduating fifth in his class. After college, he pursued a legal career, being admitted to the New Hampshire bar in 1827.

Pierce’s political ascent was swift. In 1829, he was elected to the New Hampshire state legislature, and two years later, he became its Speaker. A fervent supporter of Andrew Jackson, Pierce rode the wave of Jacksonian Democracy, winning election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1833. He served two terms before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 1837, becoming the youngest senator at the time. During his time in Congress, Pierce was a loyal Democrat, generally aligning with Southern views on slavery, which he considered a constitutionally protected institution. He resigned from the Senate in 1842, citing personal reasons and his wife Jane’s dislike for Washington, D.C. He returned to New Hampshire, resumed his law practice, and served as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Hampshire. His brief military service as a brigadier general in the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), though marked by a knee injury, added to his political resume.

The politics surrounding Pierce’s nomination for president in 1852 were owed to the deep sectional divisions plaguing the Democratic Party. None of the leading contenders– Lewis Cass, James Buchanan, William Marcy, or Stephen A. Douglas– could secure the necessary two-thirds majority at the Democratic National Convention in Baltimore. After 34 ballots and a growing deadlock, the party turned to a “dark horse” candidate: Franklin Pierce. His relative obscurity, coupled with his Northern background and pro-Southern sympathies on the slavery issue, made him an appealing compromise candidate who could potentially unite the fractured party. On the 49th ballot, Virginia cast its votes for Pierce, initiating a surge of support that led to his nomination on the 48th ballot. He and his running mate, William R. King, went on to decisively defeat the Whig nominee, General Winfield Scott.

The Nation Continues Its March to Civil War

Pierce’s election, far from healing the sectional divide, exacerbated it. He entered office hoping the Compromise of 1850 would settle the slavery issue, but his actions quickly intensified tensions. His administration’s efforts to acquire Cuba (seen by many as a bid to expand slave territory) and, most significantly, his support for the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, proved disastrous. The Kansas-Nebraska Act, championed mainly by Stephen Douglas, repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which had prohibited slavery north of the 36°30′ parallel. By introducing “popular sovereignty”—allowing residents of the Kansas and Nebraska territories to decide on the legality of slavery—the Act ignited a violent struggle known as “Bleeding Kansas” between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers. This legislation was widely seen in the North as a capitulation to Southern interests and deeply angered abolitionists and moderate anti-slavery advocates, further solidifying the North-South divide. It also dealt a fatal blow to the Whig Party and contributed directly to the rise of the Republican Party, a purely sectional anti-slavery party.

After his single term, Pierce fully expected to be renominated by the Democrats in 1856, but the fallout from the Kansas-Nebraska Act and his perceived ineptitude in dealing with the escalating sectional crisis led the party to abandon him in favor of James Buchanan.

After his presidency, Pierce traveled extensively in Europe and the Caribbean, but his post-presidential years were overshadowed by personal tragedy and growing isolation. His wife, Jane, devastated by the deaths of all three of their sons—especially their last surviving son, Benjamin, killed in a tragic train accident shortly before Pierce’s inauguration—died in 1863.

During the Civil War, Pierce remained loyal to the Union but became a vocal critic of President Abraham Lincoln’s policies, especially the Emancipation Proclamation. He believed Lincoln’s actions were unconstitutional and would prolong the conflict. This stance alienated him from many former friends and supporters in the North. After Lincoln’s assassination in 1865, an angry mob even surrounded Pierce’s home in Concord, New Hampshire, before he managed to disperse them with his once-renowned oratorical skills. A lifelong struggle with alcohol intensified in his later years. Franklin Pierce died in obscurity in Concord, New Hampshire, on October 8, 1869, at the age of 64, from cirrhosis of the liver, largely forgotten by a nation grappling with the aftermath of the war he had inadvertently helped to precipitate.

The Philadelphia Mint struck 38,220,000 2010-P Franklin Pierce Presidential Dollars. The coin’s release was celebrated on May 20, 2010, at Pierce’s historic home, Pierce Manse, in Concord, New Hampshire. Franklin Pierce College and the Pierce Brigade cohosted the event. It was joined by United States Mint Deputy Director Andy Brunhart, who said, “Starting today, millions of coins bearing former President Franklin Pierce’s image will enter into circulation. As these coins move from hand to hand, they will be a reminder of his contribution to our Great Nation.”

Although public interest in the Presidential Dollar coin program had declined since its introduction, most of the 2010-P Pierce Dollars were distributed through the Federal Reserve Banking System.

Collectors primarily obtained these coins by purchasing 25-coin rolls from the U.S. Mint’s website for $35.95 or by acquiring the 2010 United States Mint Uncirculated Coin Set, which included one of each coin struck at the Philadelphia and Denver Mints. These sets, with a face value of $13.82, were sold for $31.95 (approximately $47.25 in 2025 inflation-adjusted dollars). Today, these sets typically sell for about $30, while individual 2010-P Fillmore Dollars are valued at roughly $3, unless certified.

It’s worth noting the distinction between circulation-quality coins and those included in the 2010 Mint Set. From 2005 to 2010, the U.S. Mint used special dies and burnished blanks for Mint Set coins, resulting in a matte, satin-like finish. This process aimed to ensure a consistent appearance for Mint Set coins, but it sparked mixed reactions among collectors. Many felt compelled to purchase both rolls and Mint Sets to obtain both circulation-strike and specimen-strike coins.

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Circulation Strike Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens

Top Population: PCGS MS67 (2, 7/2025), NGC MS67 (33, 7/2025), and CAC N/A (7/2025).

• PCGS MS66: eBay, May 31, 2025 – $10. Presidential label. Buy It Now.
• Raw Uncirculated: eBay, July 24, 2025 – $3.05. Buy It Now.
• NGC Brilliant Uncirculated: eBay, May 16, 2025 – $7.00 Buy It Now.
• United States Mint Uncirculated Roll: eBay, July 16, 2025 – $36.10. Buy It Now.

Specimen Strike (Mint Set) Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens

Top Population: PCGS MS69 (6, 7/2025), NGC MS69 (21, 7/2025), and CAC N/A (7/2025).

• CoinWeek Estimate SP67: $10.

Design

Obverse:

Franklin Pierce faces forward, his head slightly turned towards the viewer’s left. His name is emblazoned at the top of the design, while the inscription 14th PRESIDENT 1853-1857 is placed below the portrait. The initials SG (Susan Gamble) and CLV (Charles L. Vickers) appear on Pierce’s lapel.

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).

Coin Specifications

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