Missing Edge Lettering Presidential Dollars

Some 2007–2008 Presidential dollars escaped the Mint without edge inscriptions — certified “plain edge” Washington examples trade around $70–$100 today, while the scarcer Adams, Jefferson, Monroe, and Jackson issues are worth chasing.

History

Presidential dollars (2007–2016) were the first circulating U.S. coins with incused edge lettering — the date, mint mark, “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and delimiter dots pressed into the edge in a separate operation after striking (Numismatic News).
A Schuler edge-lettering machine force-spins each struck coin through a grooved die; coins that missed the operation left the Mint with a completely smooth, blank edge (Numismatic News).
The 2007 George Washington issue produced the famous “Godless dollars” — tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, escaped from Philadelphia and Denver — covered in full on our dedicated 2007 “Godless Dollar” page (Numismatic News).
Far fewer John Adams plain-edge dollars followed months later, and still fewer Thomas Jefferson examples; at least one plain-edge James Madison dollar is known (Numismatic News).
The error kept appearing into 2008: Independent Coin Grading Company personnel found three plain-edge James Monroe dollars and one Andrew Jackson dollar in just 5,000 Mint-searched 2008 uncirculated sets (Numismatic News).
Related edge errors on the series include weak or partial edge lettering and even out-of-sequence edge mottoes — a famous 2007-S proof Jefferson dollar with swapped motto order is known in only four specimens (Numismatic News).

What is it worth

For the common 2007 Washington plain-edge type, a certified MS65 sold at Heritage in April 2008 carried a Numismedia wholesale reference of $110 (Heritage Auctions). In June–July 2026, PCGS-graded MS65 Washington missing-edge dollars ended eBay auctions at $70–$71 with buy-it-now prices near $98–$99.95 (eBay). For context on a different error type: in October 2008 a 2007-P Adams dollar with weak edge lettering graded PCGS MS-67 Satin Finish sold for $1,750 — a mint-set weak-lettering error at the height of the hype, not a plain-edge circulation strike (Numismatic News). Documented current prices for the scarcer Adams, Jefferson, Monroe, and Jackson plain-edge issues were not found in the consulted references — compare live listings in the Market check below.

What drives the premium

Issue scarcity: Washington plain edges are relatively available; Adams examples are scarcer, Jefferson scarcer still, and Monroe/Jackson plain edges are genuinely rare (Numismatic News).
Grade: mint-state examples with clean surfaces bring the premiums; circulated plain edges trade lower (eBay; Heritage).
Certification: the market is flooded with altered coins, so certified genuine examples command the real money (Numismatic News/PNG).
Error type: a fully missing edge inscription is worth far more than merely weak or partial lettering, which can fall within normal Mint tolerances (Numismatic News).

How to identify the valuable variety

The edge must be completely smooth: no incused date, mint mark, mottoes, or dots — weak or partial lettering is a different, less valuable error (Numismatic News).
Weigh and measure it: genuine Washington dollars weigh 8.1 grams and measure 26.5 mm. Plain-edge coins under 8 grams or 26 mm or less should be viewed with skepticism — likely machined down to remove the lettering (PNG via Numismatic News).
Beware fakes: the PNG issued a consumer alert because altered coins — edge lettering ground off in machine shops, or filled in and re-plated — were sold as genuine Mint errors for $100+ while worth one dollar (Numismatic News).
Buy certified: unless you can authenticate the edge yourself, buy examples certified by PCGS, NGC, or another nationally recognized service (PNG via Numismatic News).

Specifications

Composition: Manganese-brass clad — 77% copper, 12% zinc, 7% manganese, 4% nickel over a pure copper core (Heritage Auctions).
Weight: 8.10 grams (Heritage Auctions; PNG via Numismatic News).
Diameter: 26.5 mm (PNG via Numismatic News).
Edge: Normally incused edge lettering; completely plain (smooth) on this error type (Numismatic News).
Obverse designers: Not verified in consulted references (each president’s portrait by a U.S. Mint sculptor-engraver).
Mint: Philadelphia (P) and Denver (D) for circulation strikes; San Francisco (S) for proofs (Numismatic News).
Known plain-edge issues: Washington, Adams, Jefferson (2007), Monroe, Jackson (2008), Madison (2007, at least one known) (Numismatic News).

Collector notes

There is no “upside-down” edge lettering error on circulation strikes — coins enter the Schuler machine at random orientation, so lettering direction is meaningless (Numismatic News).
The 2007-S proof Jefferson out-of-sequence edge error (four known specimens) is the series’ great edge rarity, distinct from the plain-edge circulation errors (Numismatic News).
Check 2008 Mint annual uncirculated sets: that is where the Monroe and Jackson plain edges were found (Numismatic News).
The 2007 “Godless dollar” Washington story — the nickname, the media frenzy, the full value picture — is on our dedicated page; this entry covers the error family as a whole.