2018-P World War I Centennial Silver Dollar : A Collector’s Guide

The World War I Silver Dollar That Turned Trench Warfare Into Art

World War I promised to become the “war to end all wars.” Instead, it reshaped nations, destroyed a generation, and set the stage for decades of conflict.

The United States entered the war on April 6, 1917. By then, armies had fought across Europe for almost three years. President Woodrow Wilson had won re-election in 1916 with the slogan “He kept us out of war.” However, Germany’s renewed campaign of unrestricted submarine warfare changed the political equation. The Zimmermann Telegram added another powerful reason for action.

American troops began reaching France in June 1917. Still, the United States needed time to organize, equip, and transport a vast army. Therefore, most American combat power reached the Western Front during 1918.

Fresh troops and supplies gave the exhausted Allies a decisive advantage. American forces fought at Cantigny, Belleau Wood, Château-Thierry, Saint-Mihiel, and Meuse-Argonne. Finally, Germany accepted an armistice on November 11, 1918.

About 4.7 million Americans served during World War I. The United States recorded 53,402 battle deaths. Another 63,114 service members died from accidents and disease. In addition, more than 200,000 suffered wounds. Most American combat losses came during the final months of the war.

Nearly a century later, Congress authorized a silver dollar to honor that service and sacrifice.

Congress Finally Approves a World War I Commemorative Coin

Supporters spent several years seeking congressional approval for a World War I centennial coin. However, competing commemorative proposals repeatedly slowed the effort.

Congress finally passed the World War I American Veterans Centennial Commemorative Coin Act in 2014. Public Law 113-212 authorized the United States Mint to produce no more than 350,000 silver dollars. Congress scheduled the program for 2018, the centennial of the war’s final year.

The law also added a $10 surcharge to each coin. The legislation directed those funds to the United States Foundation for the Commemoration of the World Wars. The foundation supported the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and its commemorative work.

Collectors sometimes call the issue the 2018-P World War I Army Veterans Centennial Silver Dollar. However, that name blends the coin with the separate Army medal set. The Mint’s official name remains the 2018 World War I Centennial Silver Dollar.

How the United States Mint Sold the Coin

The United States Mint opened sales on January 17, 2018. The Philadelphia Mint struck both the Uncirculated and Proof versions. Therefore, each coin carries the “P” mintmark.

The Mint introduced the Uncirculated coin at $48.95. After the introductory period ended on February 20, the regular price rose to $53.95.

Meanwhile, the Proof version opened at $51.95. Its regular price later increased to $56.95.

Congress authorized 350,000 coins. However, collector demand never approached that ceiling. Final Mint figures show sales of:

• Uncirculated: 22,338
• Proof: 127,867
• Total: 150,205

Thus, the Mint sold less than 43% of the maximum authorization. The Uncirculated coin accounts for only about 15% of total sales.

These final Mint figures differ slightly from the 22,340 Uncirculated and 127,848 Proof totals that some grading-service references still publish.

Five Military Medal Sets Boost Proof Sales

The Mint also offered five special World War I Silver Dollar and Medal Sets. Each set paired one Proof silver dollar with a 90% silver Proof medal.

The medals honored the five American military branches active during World War I:

• United States Army
• Army Air Service
• United States Navy
• United States Marine Corps
• United States Coast Guard

Each set cost $99.95. The Mint did not sell the medals separately. Nor did it offer one silver dollar with all five medals. Therefore, a collector who wanted every medal had to buy five Proof dollars and spend nearly $500.

That strategy drew sharp criticism. Many collectors viewed the format as an unnecessary financial burden. In addition, the structure forced buyers to acquire four duplicate commemorative dollars to complete the medal series.

Still, the sets helped drive Proof sales. The Mint recorded the following totals:

• Army set: 15,621
• Air Service set: 12,523
• Navy set: 12,255
• Marine Corps set: 12,652
• Coast Guard set: 9,809

Together, the five sets accounted for 62,860 Proof dollars. Standalone Proof sales added another 65,007 coins.

The First Strike Ceremony at Philadelphia

The Mint held the ceremonial first strike on November 28, 2017. The event took place in the Proof Room at the Philadelphia Mint.

Philadelphia Mint Superintendent Dave Croft served as master of ceremonies. Mint Police Chief Dennis O’Connor also addressed the gathering.

Congressional participants included Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, Representative Emanuel Cleaver II of Missouri, and Representative Doug Lamborn of Colorado. All three supported the authorizing legislation.

The guest list also included:

Colonel Gerald York, U.S. Army retired, grandson of World War I hero Sergeant Alvin York; Rod Gillis, then Education Director at the American Numismatic Association Money Museum; Michael Flynn of the Independence Seaport Museum and Cruiser Olympia; Terry Hamby, Chair of the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission; designer LeRoy Transfield; and retired Mint sculptor Don Everhart.

Flynn’s presence added a direct link to the war’s aftermath. In 1921, the cruiser Olympia carried the remains of America’s World War I Unknown Soldier from Le Havre, France, to the Washington Navy Yard. The ship completed the difficult voyage despite tropical-storm winds and waves that reached 20 to 30 feet.

A National Competition Produces the Winning Design

Congress required the Mint to hold a juried competition for the coin’s design.

The Mint invited selected artists to submit drawings and plaster models. A jury then evaluated the proposals. The panel included three members of the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee and three members of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts.

The jury chose designs by LeRoy Transfield of Orem, Utah. Transfield came to the United States from New Zealand. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Brigham Young University-Hawaii in 1993 and established a sculpture studio in Utah.

Transfield approached the project as a sculptor rather than an illustrator. Therefore, he avoided thin lines and excessive detail that might fail during the die-making process.

He also rejected an idealized portrait. Instead, he gave the soldier a battered, imperfect face. That choice represented the ordinary Americans who entered an extraordinary conflict.

Don Everhart converted Transfield’s designs into the final coin sculpture. Everhart joined the Mint in 2004 and retired in 2017 after a distinguished career in coins and medals. He later joined the Mint’s Artistic Infusion Program.

Obverse Design: “Soldier’s Charge”

A rough-hewn American soldier faces right. His helmet recalls the M1917 steel helmet that American troops wore during the war. A chin strap runs beside his face, while folds of fabric protect his neck.

The soldier grips a rifle that rises along the viewer’s right side. His tense expression suggests movement, danger, and exhaustion. Meanwhile, barbed wire curls across the lower-right field. The wire recalls the trench systems that defined the Western Front.

The word LIBERTY appears between the rifle and the helmet. IN GOD WE TRUST fills the field before the soldier’s face. The dual dates 1918–2018 appear below the rifle.

Transfield placed his LGT initials near the soldier’s hand. Everhart’s DE monogram appears near the high collar.

The design avoids romantic heroism. Instead, it presents war through a single strained face. That direct approach gives the coin much of its emotional power

Reverse Design: “Poppies in the Wire”

The reverse carries the title “Poppies in the Wire.”

A row of poppies spreads across the lower half of the coin. However, strands of barbed wire twist through the flowers. The two elements connect sacrifice with remembrance.

The red poppy became one of the best-known memorial symbols of World War I. Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae’s 1915 poem “In Flanders Fields” helped establish that association. The American Legion adopted the poppy as its memorial flower on September 27, 1920.

The denomination ONE DOLLAR curves along the upper rim. The motto E PLURIBUS UNUM appears below it. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA fills the lower field.

Transfield’s LGT initials sit beneath the poppies on the left. Everhart’s DE initials appear on the right. The Philadelphia P mintmark rests below Everhart’s monogram.

The design continues the obverse narrative. The soldier confronts the wire on one side. On the other, flowers rise through it.

How Much Is the 2018-P World War I Silver Dollar Worth?

The market treats the 2018 World War I Centennial Silver Dollar as an affordable modern commemorative. Even perfect certified examples remain readily available.

First, consider the original issue prices. Adjusted through the June 2026 Consumer Price Index, the Mint’s $48.95 to $56.95 prices equal roughly $66 to $76 in 2026 dollars. Therefore, a coin must sell within or above that range to preserve its original purchasing power.

CoinWeek’s November 2025 market survey found raw Proof coins selling for about $50 to $60. Raw Uncirculated examples appeared less often and generally brought about $60.

At that time, certified MS70 coins commonly sold for $70 to $90. Certified PR70DCAM and PF70 Ultra Cameo examples generally brought $75 to $85. However, special labels, signatures, and first-release designations sometimes affected the final price.

Silver now supports a large part of the coin’s value. Each example contains approximately 0.7735 troy ounce of silver. With PCGS quoting silver near $59.93 per ounce on July 22, 2026, the coin held about $46.36 in intrinsic silver value at that moment.

Still, collectors should distinguish melt value from retail value. Original packaging, certification, eye appeal, and dealer margins can push prices higher.

Certified Populations Explain the Modest Premiums

Modern commemoratives often earn very high grades. The 2018 World War I Centennial Silver Dollar follows that pattern.

As of July 22, 2026, PCGS reported 1,791 grading events for the regular-strike coin. Of that total, 1,648 earned MS70. Therefore, about 92% of the PCGS-certified population reached the highest numerical grade.

PCGS also reported 2,401 Deep Cameo Proof grading events. Of those, 1,827 earned PR70DCAM. Thus, about 76% reached the top grade.

NGC uses MS70 for the Uncirculated coin and PF70 Ultra Cameo for the Proof. PCGS uses MS70 and PR70 Deep Cameo. The services use different terms for essentially equivalent Proof contrast.

CoinWeek’s November 2025 census review also found a high percentage of NGC coins in grade 70. In addition, the October 2024 CAC snapshot recorded only one grading event for each finish. Population reports change, so collectors should always consult the latest data.

However, submission statistics do not reveal the grade distribution of every coin the Mint sold. Submitters may inspect coins before sending them to a grading service. They may also request a minimum grade and receive lower-grade pieces without encapsulation.

Even so, the available evidence points in one direction. Most carefully handled examples should grade MS69, PR69, MS70, or PR70. Therefore, collectors should buy the coin for its design, history, packaging, or label rather than for absolute condition rarity.

Market Data Summary

Uncirculated Version

• Final Mint sales: 22,338
• Top PCGS grade: MS70
• PCGS MS70 population: 1,648 as of July 22, 2026
• PCGS auction record: $87 for an MS69
• November 2025 certified market range: Approximately $70 to $90
• Original issue price: $48.95 introductory; $53.95 regular

Proof Version

• Final Mint sales: 127,867
• Top PCGS grade: PR70DCAM
• PCGS PR70DCAM population: 1,827 as of July 22, 2026
• PCGS auction record: $100 for a PR70DCAM
• November 2025 certified market range: Approximately $75 to $85
• Original issue price: $51.95 introductory; $56.95 regular

Coin Specifications

• Country: United States of America
• Year: 2018
• Denomination: One Dollar
• Mint: Philadelphia
• Mintmark: P
• Authorized mintage: 350,000 across both finishes
• Final sales: 22,338 Uncirculated; 127,867 Proof
• Composition: 90% silver and 10% copper
• Actual silver weight: Approximately 0.7735 troy ounce
• Weight: 26.73 grams
• Diameter: 38.10 millimeters
• Edge: Reeded
• Designer: LeRoy Transfield
• Sculptor: Don Everhart
• Finishes: Uncirculated and Proof

Why the 2018 World War I Centennial Silver Dollar Matters

The 2018 World War I Centennial Silver Dollar never became a great modern rarity. Nor did its perfect-grade population create lasting scarcity.

However, the coin succeeds on another level.

Its design rejects banners, monuments, and triumphant poses. Instead, it places one exhausted soldier against the machinery of modern war. Then, on the reverse, it allows poppies to grow through the same wire.

That visual progression gives the coin a clear story. First comes conflict. Then comes sacrifice. Finally, remembrance survives.

For collectors, that message matters more than a plastic-holder label. The coin offers an affordable link to the 4.7 million Americans who served in a war that changed the world.

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