2012 Presidential Dollar Coin Value: Errors List, āPā, “D” & “S” Mint Mark Worth
2012 Presidential Dollar value ranges from $1.00 face value to $1,601. That record was set by a Grade 64 example sold on eBay in April 2013. If you’re curious what yours might be worth, upload a photo of your coin below for a quick value range. Then scroll down to check recent eBay sales and see what collectors are paying today.
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2012 Presidential Dollar Value By Variety
This chart shows estimated market values for 2012 Presidential Dollars across mint marks and grades. If you know your coin’s grade, scroll down to the **Value Guides** section for exact pricing.
Type
Good(G4-6)
Fine(F12-15)
AU(AU50-58)
MS(MS60-70)
PR(PR60-70)
▶2012 P Chester Arthur Position A Presidential Dollar Value
$1
$1
$1
$1 - $100
ā
▶2012 P Chester Arthur Position B Presidential Dollar Value
$1
$1
$1
$1 - $110
ā
▶2012 D Chester Arthur Position A Presidential Dollar Value
$1
$1
$1
$1 - $110
ā
▶2012 D Chester Arthur Position B Presidential Dollar Value
$1
$1
$1
$1 - $270
ā
▶2012 P Grover Cleveland 22nd Position A Presidential Dollar Value
$1
$1
$1
$1 - $100
ā
▶2012 P Grover Cleveland 22nd Position B Presidential Dollar Value
$1
$1
$1
$1 - $200
ā
▶2012 D Grover Cleveland 22nd Position A Presidential Dollar Value
$1
$1
$1
$1 - $110
ā
▶2012 D Grover Cleveland 22nd Position B Presidential Dollar Value
$1
$1
$1
$1 - $550
ā
▶2012 P Benjamin Harrison Position A Presidential Dollar Value
$1
$1
$1
$1 - $110
ā
▶2012 P Benjamin Harrison Position B Presidential Dollar Value
$1
$1
$1
$1 - $590
ā
▶2012 D Benjamin Harrison Position A Presidential Dollar Value
$1
$1
$1
$1 - $120
ā
▶2012 D Benjamin Harrison Position B Presidential Dollar Value
$1
$1
$1
$1 - $360
ā
▶2012 P Grover Cleveland 24th Position A Presidential Dollar Value
$1
$1
$1
$1 - $92
ā
▶2012 P Grover Cleveland 24th Position B Presidential Dollar Value
$1
$1
$1
$1 - $110
ā
▶2012 D Grover Cleveland 24th Position A Presidential Dollar Value
$1
$1
$1
$1 - $200
ā
▶2012 D Grover Cleveland 24th Position B Presidential Dollar Value
$1
$1
$1
$1 - $160
ā
▶2012 S Chester Arthur DCAM Presidential Dollar Value
ā
ā
ā
ā
$1 - $50
▶2012 S Grover Cleveland 22nd DCAM Presidential Dollar Value
ā
ā
ā
ā
$1 - $53
▶2012 S Benjamin Harrison DCAM Presidential Dollar Value
ā
ā
ā
ā
$1 - $42
▶2012 S Grover Cleveland 24th DCAM Presidential Dollar Value
ā
ā
ā
ā
$1 - $50
2012 P Chester Arthur Position A Presidential Dollar Value ā eBay market data
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2012-P CHESTER ARTHUR Presidential Dollar - PCGS MS66 - Position B Philadelphia Presidential
Sold Sep 26, 2026
$6.06
2012-P Chester Arthur Presidential Dollar BU
Sold Sep 23, 2026
$3.13
2012 P Chester Arthur Presidential Dollar ~ Brilliant Uncirculated ~ Coin Philadelphia Presidential
Sold Sep 13, 2026
$2.95
2012 P Presidential Dollar Chester A Arthur BU Clad US Coin Philadelphia
Sold Sep 09, 2026
$3.46
2012 P Presidential Dollar Chester A Arthur Choice BU Clad US Coin Philadelphia
Sold Sep 09, 2026
$3.84
Chester Arthur 2012 First Day Of Issue Presidential Dollar $1 Coin Set P S & D
Sold Jul 14, 2026
$8.50
2012-P $1 23RD Presidential Harrison Brilliant Uncirculated Dollar Coin!
Sold Jul 11, 2026
$2.95
2012 P Presidential Dollar Chester A Arthur Choice BU Clad US Coin See Pics K276 Philadelphia
Sold Jul 08, 2026
$4.71
2012 P Benjamin Harrison Presidential Dollar Brilliant Uncirculated Coin Mint!
Sold Jul 7, 2026
$5.49
Grover Cleveland (1st Term) - 2012-P Presidential Dollar
Sold Jul 7, 2026
$2.60
2012 P Chester Arthur Presidential Dollar Brilliant Uncirculated US Coin Mint!!
Sold Jul 6, 2026
$4.00
2012 Grover Cleveland First Term Presidential D Dollar -BU - Uncirculated
Sold Jul 5, 2026
$2.99
2012 Chester A Arthur Presidential D Dollar -BU - Uncirculated
Sold Jul 5, 2026
$2.99
2012-P Grover Cleveland Presidential Dollar Coin, Hand Picked Best Available
Sold Jul 3, 2026
$3.00
2012-P BENJAMIN HARRISON PRESIDENTIAL DOLLAR COIN
Sold Jul 2, 2026
$3.89
2012 P Presidential $1 Dollar Grover Cleveland NGC Certified MS67 Coin 24th Pres MS67
Sold Jul 11, 2026
$24.99
2012-P BENJAMIN HARRISON PRESIDENTIAL DOLLAR GRADED MS67 BY NGC MS67
Sold Jun 13, 2026
$7.38
2012 P Chester Arthur Presidential Dollar PCGS MS66 Position A MS66
Top 10 Most Valuable 2012 Presidential Dollar Worth Money
Most Valuable 2012 Presidential Dollar Chart
2013 - Present
Most Valuable 2012 Presidential Dollar Chart ā top auction records (2013 to present)
#
Coin
Grade
Price
Platform
Date
1
2012 Missing Edge G. Cleveland 22nd
64
$1,601
EA
4/13
2
2012-P Partial Edge Lettering Cleveland 22nd, Position B
66
$809
EA
6/13
3
2012-D B. Harrison Pos.A
68
$675
EA
10/20
4
2012-S Grover Cleveland 22nd First Strike
70
$401
EA
10/22
5
2012-S Chester A. Arthur First Strike
70
$400
EA
1/19
6
2012-P G. Cleveland 22nd Pos.A
68
$375
EA
6/18
7
2012-P G. Cleveland 24th Pos.B
68
$259
EA
6/18
8
2012-D C. Arthur Pos.A
68
$250
EA
3/23
9
2012-P Partial Edge Lettering Arthur, Position A
66
$250
EA
9/18
10
2012-D G. Cleveland 24th Pos.A
68
$240
EA
10/20
The coin sitting at #1 is a 2012 Missing Edge Lettering Grover Cleveland 22nd dollar that hammered for $1,601 at auction in April 2013. It’s graded just MS64 ā imagine what a higher-grade example would bring. The coin skipped the edge lettering machine entirely, leaving a completely smooth, blank edge. Only 17 examples have been confirmed.
The rest of the list is a mix of edge lettering errors and top-pop business strikes. A 2012-D Benjamin Harrison Position A in MS68 brought $675 in 2020, and a 2012 Grover Cleveland 22nd Position A in MS68 sold for $375 in 2018. Why do MS67 and MS68 coins dominate this list? The manganese-brass alloy loves to develop carbon spots. Fewer than 1% of submitted 2012 Presidential Dollars reach MS67 or higher at PCGS. Spot-free survivors are a completely different kind of rare.
History of the 2012 Presidential Dollar
2012 was the year everything changed for Presidential Dollars. In December 2011, Public Law 112-59 told the Mint to stop making these coins for circulation. The reason was embarrassing ā over 1.4 billion unused dollar coins were piling up in Federal Reserve vaults, costing millions annually just to store.
Starting with Chester Arthur, every 2012 Presidential Dollar became a “Not Intended For Circulation” (NIFC) issue. You could only buy them from the U.S. Mint in rolls, bags, and numismatic sets. A 100-coin bag ran $111.95. A 250-coin box cost $275.95.
The mintage drop was massive. Earlier issues from 2007ā2011 ran 35 to 176 million per design. The 2012 coins averaged roughly 11 million per design across Philadelphia and Denver combined. Grover Cleveland First Term had the lowest combined mintage at approximately 9.52 million, while Grover Cleveland Second Term came in highest at approximately 14.6 million.
Here’s a fun detail: all four presidents honored in 2012 ā Chester Arthur, Grover Cleveland (twice), and Benjamin Harrison ā served during the Gilded Age, back-to-back between 1881 and 1897. They were practically passing the office around like a hot potato.
2012-P Chester Arthur Position A Presidential Dollar
Common
Ranked 381 in Presidential Dollars
15
2012-P Chester Arthur Position B Presidential Dollar
Uncommon
Ranked 244 in Presidential Dollars
13
2012-D Chester Arthur Position A Presidential Dollar
Common
Ranked 316 in Presidential Dollars
14
2012-D Chester Arthur Position B Presidential Dollar
Common
Ranked 272 in Presidential Dollars
12
2012-P Grover Cleveland 22nd Position A Presidential Dollar
Common
Ranked 380 in Presidential Dollars
13
2012-P Grover Cleveland 22nd Position B Presidential Dollar
Common
Ranked 307 in Presidential Dollars
12
2012-D Grover Cleveland 22nd Position A Presidential Dollar
Common
Ranked 378 in Presidential Dollars
17
2012-D Grover Cleveland 22nd Position B Presidential Dollar
Uncommon
Ranked 191 in Presidential Dollars
12
2012-P Benjamin Harrison Position A Presidential Dollar
Common
Ranked 379 in Presidential Dollars
17
2012-P Benjamin Harrison Position B Presidential Dollar
Uncommon
Ranked 190 in Presidential Dollars
12
2012-D Benjamin Harrison Position A Presidential Dollar
Common
Ranked 369 in Presidential Dollars
15
2012-D Benjamin Harrison Position B Presidential Dollar
Uncommon
Ranked 242 in Presidential Dollars
12
2012-P Grover Cleveland 24th Position A Presidential Dollar
Common
Ranked 382 in Presidential Dollars
12
2012-P Grover Cleveland 24th Position B Presidential Dollar
Common
Ranked 376 in Presidential Dollars
13
2012-D Grover Cleveland 24th Position A Presidential Dollar
Common
Ranked 308 in Presidential Dollars
13
2012-D Grover Cleveland 24th Position B Presidential Dollar
Common
Ranked 312 in Presidential Dollars
11
2012-S Chester Arthur DCAM Presidential Dollar
Common
Ranked 507 in Presidential Dollars
12
2012-S Grover Cleveland 22nd DCAM Presidential Dollar
Common
Ranked 389 in Presidential Dollars
12
2012-S Benjamin Harrison DCAM Presidential Dollar
Common
Ranked 392 in Presidential Dollars
12
2012-S Grover Cleveland 24th DCAM Presidential Dollar
Common
Ranked 390 in Presidential Dollars
Want to know if your 2012 Presidential Dollar is rare? Simply scan your coin with ourCoin Identifier and Value Appto instantly check its rarity and current market value.
Key Features of the 2012 Presidential Dollar
Four obverse designs, one common reverse. Chester Arthur, Grover Cleveland (twice for his non-consecutive terms), and Benjamin Harrison all share the same Statue of Liberty back. These were the first Presidential Dollars struck exclusively for collectors.
The Obverse of the 2012 Presidential Dollar
Each obverse shows a three-quarter profile portrait of the president. Don Everhart designed Chester Arthur and both Grover Cleveland portraits. Phebe Hemphill handled Benjamin Harrison.
Look along the top ā you’ll see the president’s name in capital letters. Below the portrait are the order number and years of service. “IN GOD WE TRUST” also appears on the obverse. That placement started in 2009 after the early 2007ā2008 coins caught public backlash for putting the motto on the edge where nobody could see it.
The Reverse of the 2012 Presidential Dollar
Flip it over and you’ll see Don Everhart’s Statue of Liberty design, used across the entire Presidential Dollar series. Liberty is positioned in the lower right, looking upward, with her torch arm as the focal point.
“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” curves along the rim. The “$1” denomination sits beneath Liberty’s arm. A thin inner circle frames the whole composition.
Other Features of the 2012 Presidential Dollar
The coins are composed of 88.5% copper, 6% zinc, 3.5% manganese, and 2% nickel. They weigh 8.1 grams, measure 26.5 mm in diameter, and have a thickness of 2 mm.
That 3.5% manganese is the troublemaker. It reacts with sulfur in air, cardboard tubes, and PVC holders to form dark carbon spots ā those ugly “flyspecks” that permanently tank a coin’s grade. That’s why spot-free examples in MS67 or higher are so tough to find.
Now check the edge. You should see incused lettering: the year, mint mark, and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” This edge lettering is what makes Presidential Dollars distinctive ā and it’s also the source of the series’ most valuable errors when that lettering goes missing or comes out wrong.
The Easy Way to Know Your 2012 Presidential Dollar Value
Start by checking the edge for the mint mark. “P” means Philadelphia, “D” means Denver, and “S” means a San Francisco proof. All three appear on the edge alongside the date and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”
Next, look at the surfaces under good lighting. You want original mint luster, no wear or scratches, and ā this is the big one ā no brown or black carbon spots. Even one tiny spot can drop a coin from MS67 to MS65, and that gap can mean hundreds of dollars. Coins kept in original Mint packaging away from humidity and sulfur have the best shot at high grades.
Then run your finger along the edge. Completely smooth with no text at all? That’s the most valuable error in the series. Faint or partial lettering also carries a premium. Position A versus Position B is just a normal variety based on edge lettering orientation ā it won’t affect your coin’s value.
All four 2012 designs were sold through the U.S. Mint’s numismatic programs ā none circulated. That means nearly every surviving example is uncirculated, and the real money is in the difference between MS65, MS67, and MS68.
2012 Chester Arthur Presidential Dollar
2012 Grover Cleveland 22nd Presidential Dollar
2012 Benjamin Harrison Presidential Dollar
2012 Grover Cleveland 24th Presidential Dollar
Building a high-grade registry set from this year? You’ll be chasing spot-free surfaces more than anything else.
Most people forget Chester Arthur even existed. But the guy pulled off one of the biggest political reversals in presidential history ā he championed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of 1883, dismantling the very spoils system that had put him in power.
His coin had the lowest combined mintage of the four 2012 designs at approximately 10.08 million across Philadelphia and Denver. San Francisco produced 1,438,710 proof versions. Since all 2012 issues were NIFC, nearly every surviving example is uncirculated. The real scarcity comes from the alloy’s spotting problem, not the mintage numbers.
Don Everhart designed the portrait. Both Philadelphia and Denver struck Position A and Position B varieties. A Philadelphia Position A in MS68 sold for $200 in 2019, and a Denver Position A in MS68 brought $250 at auction in 2023. For proofs, PR70 Deep Cameo is tougher than you’d expect ā PR69 is the grade you’ll see most often.
2012-P Chester Arthur Presidential Dollar Price/Grade Chart
Price by 1-70 Grade (Latest Auction Records Included)
2012-P Chester Arthur Presidential Dollar value by grade (updated Oct 7, 2026)
The chart below tracks auction results for this coin over time.
Date ā
Platform
Price ā
Grade ā
05/19
DL
$5
67
12/16
HA
$94
68
05/13
GC
$193
66
1/19
EA
$200
68
Market data shows how collector demand has evolved for this presidential dollar.
Market activity: 2012-S Chester Arthur DCAM Presidential Dollar
Market activity score: 40/100 as of Oct 2026 — down 13 points from Jul 2026. 12-month peak: 53 (Sep 2026).
2012 Grover Cleveland 22nd Presidential Dollar Value
Here’s a question for you: how many presidents appear on two different coins in this series? Just one ā Grover Cleveland, honored separately for each of his non-consecutive terms. This first-term coin covers 1885 to 1889, when Cleveland was busy vetoing hundreds of private pension bills he considered fraudulent.
Combined mintage was the lowest of all four 2012 designs at approximately 9.52 million ā Philadelphia struck 5.46 million and Denver 4.06 million. San Francisco added 1,438,710 proofs. Like every 2012 issue, the manganese-brass alloy makes spot-free coins in MS67 and above genuinely hard to come by.
This is also where the biggest money is. Only 17 examples of a missing edge lettering error on this design have been confirmed. One graded MS64 sold for $1,601 at auction in April 2013. That’s a completely different kind of rare compared to the more common edge errors in this series. Even standard high-grade pieces do well ā a Philadelphia Position A in MS68 achieved $375 at auction in 2018.
2012-P Grover Cleveland 22nd Presidential Dollar Price/Grade Chart
Price by 1-70 Grade (Latest Auction Records Included)
2012-P Grover Cleveland 22nd Presidential Dollar value by grade (updated Oct 7, 2026)
Historical sale prices demonstrate the range of values this coin has achieved in the marketplace.
Date ā
Platform
Price ā
Grade ā
08/14
GC
$39
70
11/13
GC
$35
70
05/13
GC
$40
70
1/16
EA
$103
70
The data below illustrates how this coin has performed in recent collector transactions.
Market activity: 2012-S Grover Cleveland 22nd DCAM Presidential Dollar
Market activity score: 40/100 as of Oct 2026 — down 10 points from Jul 2026. 12-month peak: 53 (Sep 2026).
2012 Benjamin Harrison Presidential Dollar Value
A 2012-D Benjamin Harrison in MS68 sold for $675 in 2020. That’s the highest price any standard business-strike 2012 Presidential Dollar has brought at auction. Reportedly fewer than a dozen specimens exist at that grade for this variety. Compare that to a typical MS65, which trades for $3ā4. The jump from MS67 to MS68 is steep because everything had to go right ā no bag marks, no spots, no contact marks at all.
Phebe Hemphill designed the Harrison portrait. Philadelphia struck approximately 5.64 million, Denver 4.2 million, and San Francisco contributed 1,438,710 proofs. Most proofs come back from PCGS at PR68 to PR69, with PR70 Deep Cameo scarce but not impossible to find.
Harrison’s single term packed in the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 and the admission of six new states ā the most in any single presidential term. I think his coin deserves more attention from collectors than it gets.
2012-P Benjamin Harrison Presidential Dollar Price/Grade Chart
Price by 1-70 Grade (Latest Auction Records Included)
2012-P Benjamin Harrison Presidential Dollar value by grade (updated Oct 7, 2026)
Past auction results provide insight into the pricing history for this presidential issue.
Date ā
Platform
Price ā
Grade ā
07/19
DL
$5
66
06/19
DL
$5
66
05/19
DL
$5
66
2/13
EA
$88
68
The chart below captures buyer interest and market behavior for this coin.
Market activity: 2012-S Benjamin Harrison DCAM Presidential Dollar
Market activity score: 40/100 as of Oct 2026 — down 10 points from Jul 2026. 12-month peak: 53 (Sep 2026).
2012 Grover Cleveland 24th Presidential Dollar Value
Don’t assume the highest-mintage 2012 coin is the cheapest at every grade level. The Cleveland 24th had approximately 14.6 million coins across Philadelphia and Denver combined ā the most of any 2012 design. But the alloy doesn’t care about mintage. Carbon spots hit high-mintage coins just as hard, so top-grade pieces still carry real premiums.
Don Everhart designed this portrait, as he did for three of the four 2012 designs. San Francisco proof versions carried the same 1,438,710 mintage as the other three 2012 proof designs.
A Philadelphia Position A in MS68 sold for $120 in 2019. A Denver Position A in MS68 realized $240 in 2020. Standard uncirculated pieces trade around $6. If you’re looking for an affordable entry into slabbed 2012 Presidential Dollars, San Francisco PR69 Deep Cameo proofs typically trade in the $20ā30 range ā we think that’s the sweet spot for this series.
2012-P Grover Cleveland 24th Presidential Dollar Price/Grade Chart
Price by 1-70 Grade (Latest Auction Records Included)
2012-P Grover Cleveland 24th Presidential Dollar value by grade (updated Oct 7, 2026)
Edge lettering mistakes created the valuable errors in this series. Because 2012 was the first NIFC year with much lower production volumes, these errors are scarcer than the ones from the high-volume 2007ā2011 circulation era. But they do exist, and confirmed examples are worth real money.
1. 2012 Missing Edge Lettering Errors
This is the big one. The coin completely skipped the edge lettering machine, leaving a totally smooth, blank edge. No date, no mint mark, no “E PLURIBUS UNUM” ā nothing.
Only 17 examples of the 2012 Grover Cleveland 22nd Term dollar with this error have been confirmed. A specimen graded MS64 realized $1,601 at auction in April 2013. Before you get excited about your coin, check the specs: it must measure exactly 26.5 mm in diameter and weigh 8.1 grams. Altered coins with filed-down edges are out there, and they’ll be slightly undersize.
2012 Missing Edge Lettering Presidential Dollar Price/Grade Chart
Price by 1-70 Grade (Latest Auction Records Included)
2012 Missing Edge Lettering Presidential Dollar value by grade (updated Oct 7, 2026)
Weak edge lettering shows up when die pressure was too low or the tooling was worn out. The letters are there, but they’re faint and thin. Some individual characters may be barely readable.
A 2012 Benjamin Harrison weak edge lettering error graded MS66 sold for $79 in 2019. These are more common than missing edge lettering coins but still carry a premium. The harder the letters are to read, the more you can expect to get.
2012 Weak Edge Lettering Presidential Dollar Price/Grade Chart
Price by 1-70 Grade (Latest Auction Records Included)
2012 Weak Edge Lettering Presidential Dollar value by grade (updated Oct 7, 2026)
If you’re cherrypicking rolls, this is the error to watch for. Partial edge lettering happens when a coin enters or exits the edge lettering machine at an angle. Some words come out sharp and complete. Others are just gone.
Values vary a lot depending on how much text is missing. A 2012-P Cleveland 22nd Position B partial edge lettering error graded MS66 sold for $809 in 2013. A 2012-P Arthur Position A partial edge lettering example in MS66 achieved $250 at auction in 2018. More dramatic omissions bring bigger premiums.
2012 Partial Edge Lettering Presidential Dollar Price/Grade Chart
Price by 1-70 Grade (Latest Auction Records Included)
2012 Partial Edge Lettering Presidential Dollar value by grade (updated Oct 7, 2026)
These happen when a coin goes through the edge lettering machine twice in the same direction. You’ll see doubled or overlapping text ā a visibly duplicated impression. This is different from an inverted double edge lettering error, where the second pass runs the opposite way.
Presidential Dollar specialists love these. Examples in MS64 run around $150, while MS65 specimens can reach $400. The clearer the doubling is to the naked eye, the stronger the demand.
2012 Double Edge Lettering-Overlap Presidential Dollar Price/Grade Chart
Price by 1-70 Grade (Latest Auction Records Included)
Coin Identifier and Value App
Not sure what your coins are worth? Get Instant Value ⢠Grade ⢠Error Detection with coin identifier and value app (FREE Usage Daily)
After exploring the values of 2012 Presidential Dollars, you might be wondering about the best places to sell these coins. I’ve gathered a comprehensive list of trusted platforms, complete with detailed reviews covering their features, advantages, and potential drawbacks to help you make informed decisions.
1. Why weren’t 2012 Presidential Dollars released into circulation?
Over 1.4 billion unused dollar coins were sitting in Federal Reserve vaults. In December 2011, Public Law 112-59 pulled the plug on circulation production.
Starting with the 2012 Chester Arthur coin, all Presidential Dollars were struck exclusively for collectors buying directly from the U.S. Mint. Americans just preferred paper dollars and electronic payments ā the coins were piling up with nobody spending them.
2. Are all four 2012 Presidential Dollar designs equally valuable?
In standard uncirculated grades, they all trade in the $5ā7 range. Pretty similar. But mintages differ ā Grover Cleveland First Term had the lowest at about 9.52 million, while Grover Cleveland Second Term had the highest at roughly 14.6 million.
The real separation happens with errors and top-pop coins. The Cleveland 22nd design dominates because of those 17 confirmed missing edge lettering examples. In MS68, Benjamin Harrison and Grover Cleveland 22nd tend to bring the strongest prices.
3. What does DCAM mean on a 2012 Presidential Dollar proof coin?
DCAM stands for Deep Cameo. Grading services like PCGS and NGC use it for proof coins with strong contrast ā deeply frosted portrait devices against mirror-bright fields. It’s the best proof finish you can get.
Most 2012-S proofs grade PR68 to PR69. PR70 DCAM ā a perfect coin ā is somewhat scarce and generally sells for 2ā3 times the PR69 price for the same design.
4. What is the difference between Position A and Position B on 2012 Presidential Dollars?
Hold the coin with the president’s portrait facing up. If the edge lettering reads upside down, that’s Position A. If it reads right-side up, that’s Position B.
This happens because edge lettering is applied in a separate step after striking, and coins pass through the machine randomly. Neither position is an error or worth more than the other. It only matters if you’re building a complete set with matched positions.
5. How can I tell if my 2012 Presidential Dollar has a genuine missing edge lettering error?
The edge must be completely smooth. No trace of any text anywhere around the circumference. Measure the diameter ā it must be exactly 26.5 mm. Weight must be 8.1 grams. Filed or altered coins tend to come in slightly undersize.
If the edge looks worn or scratched rather than smooth, you probably just have a heavily circulated coin with faded lettering. Get any suspected error authenticated by PCGS, NGC, or ANACS before buying or selling at error premiums.
6. Why do high-grade 2012 Presidential Dollars have carbon spots?
Blame the 3.5% manganese in the alloy. It reacts with sulfur compounds in air, cardboard coin tubes, and PVC holders, forming dark brown or black “flyspecks” that permanently lower the grade.
Even one tiny spot can keep a coin out of MS67 territory. Fewer than 1% of submitted 2012 Presidential Dollars reach MS67 or better at PCGS. Store yours in inert plastic holders (not PVC), at 40ā50% humidity, away from cardboard and paper products.
7. What were 2012 Presidential Dollars sold for at the U.S. Mint?
A 100-coin bag of a single design cost $111.95, a 250-coin box cost $275.95, and a 500-coin box cost $550.95. Proof versions from San Francisco were part of the annual Presidential Dollar Proof Set.
Coins bought in original U.S. Mint packaging and stored properly have the best chance of holding their grade and value.
8. What is the total mintage for the 2012 Presidential Dollar series?
Combined business-strike mintage across all four designs was approximately 44 million coins from Philadelphia and Denver. Compare that to several hundred million per year during the 2007ā2011 circulation era. Huge drop.
San Francisco added 1,438,710 proof versions of each design, totaling about 5.75 million proofs across the four designs.
9. Are 2012 Presidential Dollar proof sets a good investment?
They’re affordable and historically significant as the first NIFC year. PR69 DCAM examples run about $20ā30 each, so you can put together a complete four-coin certified set for under $120.
PR70 DCAM coins cost 2ā3 times more, but supply is decent enough that they’re not truly scarce. I’d call this set a solid historical collectible rather than a short-term flip.
10. Which 2012 Presidential Dollar error is the rarest?
The missing edge lettering error on the Grover Cleveland 22nd Term design, hands down. Only 17 reported examples. A specimen graded MS64 sold for $1,601 at auction in April 2013.
After that, partial edge lettering errors with dramatic omissions are the next most sought-after, with select examples selling for $800 or more in MS66. Double edge lettering overlap errors and weak edge lettering errors round out the major categories, ranging from $79 to $400 depending on severity and grade. Always get potential errors authenticated before trading at premium prices.
John Saechao is a respected California-based coin collector, known for his diverse and intricate collection. His lifelong passion for numismatics has shaped an impressive portfolio, spanning multiple eras and continents. Celebrated not just for his collection, John is appreciated for his knowledge-sharing, greatly influencing the coin collecting community.