
Based on numismatic history, the figure depicted on the U.S. silver dollar has varied depending on the era and the specific coin series. For much of the nation's history, the person on the silver dollar was not a specific historical figure but rather an allegorical representation of Lady Liberty.
The most widely recognized classic silver dollars feature these allegorical figures. The Dollar, minted from 1878 to 1904 and again in 1921, shows a profile of Lady Liberty for which a schoolteacher named Anna Willess Williams served as the model. This was succeeded by the Peace Dollar, struck from 1921 to 1935, which also features a profile of Liberty, modeled by Teresa de Francisci, to commemorate the end of World War I. Earlier silver dollars, such as the Seated Liberty dollar (1840-1873), similarly used symbolic female figures to represent the concept of freedom.
The tradition of featuring Liberty on the dollar changed in the latter half of the 20th century. The Eisenhower dollar, minted from 1971 to 1978, was the first dollar coin to honor a U.S. president. It features a portrait of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. While the coins made for general circulation were composed of a copper-nickel clad, special collector's editions were struck in 40% silver, making it the last silver dollar series produced for circulation or collectors with that composition.


