Buy Civil War Commemorative Coins Online
Our Civil War coins are silver dollars from the 1995 U.S. Mint program that raised money to protect the battlefields where the war was fought. We carry the coin in three forms: the 1995-P uncirculated dollar struck at Philadelphia, the 1995-S proof dollar struck at San Francisco, and a 1995-S proof certified PF70 by PCGS, the top grade on the scale. Each contains 0.7734 troy ounces of silver in a .900 fine alloy.
For collectors searching for 1995 Civil War battlefield commemorative coins, those three listings cover the main ways the silver dollar is collected: as a raw uncirculated coin, as a raw proof, and as a certified proof in a perfect grade. Live pricing appears on every product page next to our current bid, so the difference in cost between a raw proof and a PF70 example is easy to see.
What Are Civil War Commemorative Coins?
These are legal tender coins authorized by Congress and struck by the United States Mint to honor the Civil War and fund the preservation of its battlefields. Like other U.S. commemoratives, they were sold for a limited period at a price that included a surcharge, then the dies were retired. The 1995 date is the only one the program used.
What draws people to this issue is a mix of design and purpose. The silver dollar carries one of the most affecting images on any modern American coin, and buying one connects a collector, however indirectly, to an effort that helped keep historic ground from being developed. Some buyers want a single example, while others compare finishes or pursue the highest certified grades.
The choice within our catalog is mainly about finish and certification. The proof and uncirculated coins share the same design and silver content, and the PCGS PF70 coin is a proof whose condition has been independently confirmed and sealed in a holder.
History and Background
By the early 1990s, many Civil War battlefields were under pressure from suburban growth, and preservation groups were buying land where they could. Congress responded with a three-coin commemorative program released in 1995, the 130th anniversary of the war's end, made up of a clad half dollar, a silver dollar and a $5 gold coin. Surcharges from sales went to battlefield preservation through the Civil War Battlefield Foundation, one of the organizations that later became part of today's American Battlefield Trust.
The silver dollar's obverse shows a soldier giving a drink of water from his canteen to a wounded soldier, a scene of compassion in the middle of battle. Its reverse carries a passage written by Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, the Union officer remembered for the defense of Little Round Top at Gettysburg, beginning "In great deeds something abides." Together the two sides make the coin as much a reflection on the war's cost as a tribute to those who fought it.
The half dollar and gold coin aren't part of our catalog, but they help explain how collectors approach the silver dollar, which sits in the middle of the set and is often bought on its own.
Purity, Weight, and Specifications
The Civil War silver dollar uses the long-standing U.S. commemorative standard of 90% silver and 10% copper. Each coin has a gross weight of 26.73 grams and contains 0.7734 troy ounces of pure silver, with a $1 face value and a reeded edge.
All three versions we offer share these specifications, so the differences lie in how the coins were struck and graded rather than in their metal content. The P mint mark identifies the uncirculated Philadelphia coin, and the S mint mark marks both the raw and the certified San Francisco proofs.
Available Brands, Mints, and Product Variations
All three coins are U.S. Mint issues. The 1995-P uncirculated dollar has a soft, frosty luster across the whole coin. The 1995-S proof was struck from polished dies on specially prepared blanks, often more than once, producing mirror-like fields that contrast with frosted design elements.
The PCGS PF70 coin takes that proof a step further. A grade of 70 means PCGS found no post-production imperfections under magnification, and the coin is sealed in a tamper-evident holder with a unique certification number. Raw proofs vary in quality, which is why some collectors are willing to pay for the certainty a PF70 grade provides.
None of these listings is random year, and there's no design variation between them. The decision comes down to finish, certification and budget.
Pricing, Premiums, and Market Factors
Civil War dollars sell at numismatic premiums well above their silver value, and those premiums follow collector factors more than spot. Mintage is the first one: the 1995-P uncirculated coin was produced in far smaller numbers than the 1995-S proof, which is why the uncirculated version often carries a higher price despite the proof's more elaborate finish. Grade is the second, and the PF70 coin's price reflects how few examples reach that level.
Packaging and demand also matter. Raw coins in original government packaging, with the Mint's box and certificate of authenticity, are generally preferred over loose coins, and interest in Civil War subjects remains broad among American collectors. Silver prices still move the metal portion of each coin's price, but they explain only part of what you pay.
We show the live ask and bid on each product page so the full spread is visible before you buy. Comparing those figures across the three versions is a practical way to see how grade and finish change the market for the same design.
Condition, Packaging, and What to Expect
Raw Civil War dollars were originally sold in Mint capsules with a presentation box and certificate, and a listing that includes that original packaging says so. The PCGS PF70 coin arrives in its sealed PCGS holder, which should stay intact, because opening it ends the certification.
A raw coin that has been stored for three decades may show light toning or small spots, especially on a proof, where any mark stands out against mirrored fields. Those traits are part of a coin's history rather than defects in its metal, and they're a key reason certified examples are priced differently from raw ones.
Authenticity and Verification
Each coin can be verified against the Mint's published specifications for weight, design and mint mark. For the PF70 coin, PCGS has already authenticated and graded it, and the certification number on its label can be checked in the PCGS online verification tool.
We're an authorized PCGS and NGC dealer and a member of the American Numismatic Association. Raw commemoratives are inspected by our team before shipping, so the coin you receive matches the version described in the listing.
Liquidity and Resale Considerations
Modern U.S. commemorative dollars are recognized by coin dealers across the country, and the Civil War dollar is one of the better-known issues of the 1990s. Its resale price depends on collector demand for the specific version, so a low-mintage uncirculated coin and a common proof don't trade the same way even though they share a design.
Certified coins have a pricing advantage when resold, since the grade doesn't need to be argued. Raw coins sell more easily with their original box and certificate, and the bid on our product pages shows where the market stands for each version today.
Storage and Security
Keep raw proof and uncirculated coins in their original capsules and boxes, away from humidity and temperature changes that can speed toning. Graded holders should be stored upright in a slab box so the plastic doesn't scratch or crack.
Three silver dollars take little space, so a home safe is enough for most buyers, while a bank safe deposit box suits anyone holding them as part of a larger collection. Record the PCGS certification number separately, and don't clean any of these coins, since cleaning damages the surfaces that determine their grade.
Selling and Buyback Options
Civil War dollars can be sold back to us through the same two-way marketplace where they're bought. The bid on each product page gives you a starting figure, after which our purchasing team confirms pricing, verifies the coin on arrival and issues payment.
What we pay depends on which version you're selling, its condition or certified grade, whether the original packaging is complete, current collector demand and the silver price on the day of sale. Coins in intact PCGS holders and complete Mint sets are the simplest to price.
Why Buy Civil War Commemorative Coins?
Few modern coins carry a message as thoughtful as this one. Its design honors those who fought through a single act of mercy, and its sales helped protect battlefields that might otherwise have been lost to development. For collectors of American history, that gives the coin a clear purpose beyond its silver content.
The issue is also easy to collect in a way that fits your goals. You can choose a low-mintage uncirculated coin, a classic proof, or a certified PF70 example, each a government-issued legal tender coin with the same verified silver weight and fineness.
Why Buy from Bullion Standard?
Founded in 2010 and based in San Diego, California, Bullion Standard has grown from a local dealer into a national online marketplace on the idea that trust has to be earned on every order. For a coin sold in several versions, like the Civil War dollar, that means listings that make clear whether you're buying an uncirculated coin, a raw proof or a certified one.
Our credentials include an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and membership in the American Numismatic Association and the National Coin and Bullion Association. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, PayPal, bank payments through Plaid, wire transfer, paper check and cryptocurrency through BitPay, and because we buy coins as well as sell them, a bid accompanies every price on our site.
Get Near-Spot Pricing with Bullion Standard Pro
Bullion Standard Pro members trade at live, executable wholesale bid and ask prices across a broad range of precious metals products, with no added dealer markup or dealer spread on member pricing. That wholesale price still reflects the collector premium the market sets for a coin like a PCGS PF70 Civil War dollar, but Pro makes that pricing visible rather than hidden inside a retail margin.
Membership also includes portfolio valuation at live wholesale bid, historical premium analysis and spread and liquidity data, all useful for repeat buyers who want to understand how individual products trade. For collectors who buy commemoratives and bullion together, it's the most transparent way to see wholesale pricing on both.
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