Ah, the great silver dollar treasure hunt! You're looking for that tiny letter that can turn a cool old coin into a really cool old coin. The answer to where it's hiding depends entirely on which silver dollar you're trying to interrogate.
For the classic behemoths of the coin world, the Morgan and Peace dollars, the U.S. Mint kept things consistent. Flip that beauty over to the reverse (the "tails" side). You'll see an eagle nestled inside a wreath. The mint mark is playing a subtle game of hide-and-seek just below that wreath, right above the letters "DO" in the word "DOLLAR". Now, if you're squinting and see absolutely nothing there, don't panic. That's the classic sign of a coin from the Philadelphia Mint, which often felt it was too important to leave its initial. Other letters you might find are "CC" for Carson City, "O" for New Orleans, or "S" for San Francisco.
If you're holding a more modern American Silver Eagle, the Mint decided to switch up the hiding spot. On these bullion coins, the mint mark is still on the reverse, but it's located to the left of the eagle's tail.
And just to prove that coin designers have a sense of humor, the Eisenhower dollar breaks the mold entirely. For this one, you'll need to look on the obverse (the "heads" side). The mint mark is located right under the portrait of President Eisenhower's neck. So, depending on the dollar, you're either checking its tail feathers or giving its portrait a close inspection. Happy hunting
