James K. Polk Dollar Coin Value (Errors List, “D”, “P” & “S” Mint Mark Worth)

In 2009, the US Mint issued a coin celebrating President James K. Polk. It’s an interesting coin and an attractive gold color. But is it valuable?

We’re going to investigate the James K. Polk dollar coin value. We’ll find out about the difference between a standard example and something collectable. And we’ll learn just how much the most valuable coins can be worth.

Ready to learn more? Read on!

 

James K. Polk Dollar Coin Value Chart
Type	Circulated	MS60	MS65	MS66	MS67
2009 P James K. Polk Dollar Coin, Position A Value	–	–	$7	$10	$25
2009 P James K. Polk Dollar Coin, Position B Value	$1	$3	$7	$12	$70
2009 D James K. Polk Dollar Coin, Position A Value	–	$1	$6	$10	$350
2009 D James K. Polk Dollar Coin, Position B Value	–	–	$8	$15	–
	PR60	PR63	PR68	PR69	PR70
2009 S James K. Polk Dollar Coin, Proof, Deep Cameo Value	–	$3	$5	$12	$35
	SP60	SP63	SP65	SP68	SP69
2009 P James K. Polk Dollar Coin, Position A, Satin Finish Value	$3	$4	$5	$12	$1,000
2009 P James K. Polk Dollar Coin, Position B, Satin Finish Value	$3	$4	$5	$18	$750
2009 D James K. Polk Dollar Coin, Position A Satin Finish Value	$3	$4	$5	$18	$500
2009 D James K. Polk Dollar Coin, Position B, Satin Finish Value	$3	$4	$5	$18	$375

History of the James K. Polk dollar coin

The Presidential dollar series kicked off in 2007, rolling out a new president every three months in the order they served. To qualify, the president had to have been dead for at least two years. The series wrapped up in 2016 with Ronald Reagan, then got a brief encore in 2020 after George H. W. Bush passed away.

Polk was the eleventh president, so his coin was number eleven in the lineup. It launched in August 2008. Like every coin in the series, you get Polk’s portrait on the obverse and the Statue of Liberty on the reverse.

Over 88 million regular coins were struck, plus proofs and special strikes for collectors. Denver and Philadelphia handled the business strikes and satin finish coins, while San Francisco took care of the proofs.

A companion coin honoring his wife, Sarah Polk, came out at the same time. It showed the couple working together at a desk in the White House. There was also a third dollar coin produced alongside it — the Sacagawea dollar. Legislation required Sacagawea dollars to make up a third of all dollar production during the Presidential series. That ratio was later cut to one fifth.

Also read: 12 Most Valuable One-Dollar Coin Worth Money

Features of the James K. Polk dollar coin

Obverse of the James K. Polk dollar coin

Flip the coin to the heads side and you’ll see Polk himself. He’s shown three-quarters on, staring straight ahead. For a guy who was 50 when he took office, he looks surprisingly youthful.

The portrait was designed by US Mint artist Susan Gamble. Look for her initials on the lower edge of his right-hand lapel.

Polk’s name arches above the portrait. Below it you’ll find “In God We Trust,” the inscription “11^th President,” and his years in office, 1845-1849.

Reverse of the James K. Polk dollar coin

 

The reverse is the same across every Presidential dollar. Don Everhart designed it, and it shows the Statue of Liberty from a low angle, emphasizing her outstretched arm and torch. The official name of the design is “Liberty Enlightening the World.”

“United States of America” circles the image. The denomination “$1” sits below Liberty’s arm. All the lettering is uppercase, set in ITC Benguiat font.

Other features of the James K. Polk dollar coin

The first thing you’ll notice is that gold color. It looks great — but there’s no actual gold in the coin.

The core is pure copper. The cladding gives it that golden look, and it’s made from an alloy of copper, manganese, zinc, and nickel.

Each coin weighs 8.1 grams and measures 26.5 millimeters across.

Here’s something that trips people up: the date and the mint mark are on the edge, not the face. Look for a “D” (Denver), “P” (Philadelphia), or “S” (San Francisco).

This YouTube video from the Museum of Money zooms in on both sides of the coin so you can get a close look.

Also read: 14 Most Valuable Coins In Circulation

James K. Polk dollar coin value guides

2009 P James K. Polk dollar coin, Position A and Position B value

With 46,620,000 business strikes, Philadelphia cranked out more Polk dollars than any other facility. That kind of mintage means circulated examples are worth face value. Period.

Even in mint state, most of these coins won’t buy you lunch. The PCGS values a gem-quality MS65 at just $7. But jump up to MS67 — the top-pop grade for Philly strikes — and things get more interesting.

You need to check your edge lettering here. Hold the coin with Polk’s face up. If the edge text reads upside down, you’ve got a Position B coin. If it reads normally, that’s Position A. The PCGS has graded 80 Position A coins at MS67, valued at $25 each. Position B at the same grade? About $70. That’s a real premium just for how the coin landed in the collar.

2009 D James K Polk dollar coin, Position A and Position B value

Did you know the Denver Polk dollar at MS67 is worth fourteen times its Philadelphia counterpart? That’s a huge gap for two coins that look nearly identical.

Denver struck just under 42 million business strikes — still a massive number. Look for the “D” on the edge. Circulated coins are worth a dollar, and mint state examples stay cheap through MS66 at $15.

But MS67 is where it gets wild. A Position A coin at that grade is valued at $350 by the PCGS. For Position B at MS67, the PCGS doesn’t even list an estimate — there may not be enough certified examples to establish a price.

2009 S James K. Polk dollar coin, proof, deep cameo value

A perfect PR70 proof for $35? That’s the reality with this coin. San Francisco struck over 2.8 million proof Polk dollars, and collectors tucked them away carefully. Supply is strong even at the highest grades.

At PR60, you’re looking at face value. PR63 gets you $3, PR68 is $5, and PR69 runs $12. I think these proofs are honestly one of the cheapest ways to own a flawless modern coin.

2009 P James K. Polk dollar coin, Position A and Position B, satin finish value

If you’re chasing real money in the Polk dollar series, the satin finish coins are where to look. Philadelphia produced these for Special Mint Sets, and that beautiful satin texture sets them apart from regular strikes immediately.

Up through SP68, edge lettering position barely matters. Position A coins at SP68 are $12; Position B coins are $18. Not a big spread.

Then at SP69, the values explode. Position A jumps to $1,000. Position B comes in at $750. These are top-pop coins — the absolute finest known — and registry set collectors drive those prices. It’s a completely different kind of rare compared to the business strikes.

2009 D James K. Polk dollar coin, Position A and Position B, satin finish value

Denver struck just over 784,000 satin finish coins. Through most grades, values match the Philadelphia versions exactly.

At SP68, you’re looking at $18 regardless of position. At SP69, Position A coins are worth $500 and Position B coins come in at $375. Still serious money, but noticeably less than the Philly satin finish top-pops.

Also read: Top 10 Most Valuable Morgan Silver Dollar Worth Money

James K. Polk dollar coin error

(2009) James K. Polk dollar coin, missing edge lettering

 

This is the error that made headlines across the whole Presidential dollar series. Some coins skipped the Schuler machine entirely, leaving the edge completely blank — no date, no motto, no mint mark.

Since the mint mark was supposed to be on the edge, there’s no way to tell if these came from Denver or Philadelphia. Value comes down to condition and eye appeal.

At the time of writing, a business strike Polk dollar with missing edge lettering was listed on eBay graded MS67 by the NGC. That’s also the top grade at the PCGS for this error. The asking price? $400. If you’re cherrypicking raw Presidential dollars at flea markets, run your thumb along the edge. A smooth edge on one of these is money.

2009 James K. Polk, weak edge lettering

Not every edge lettering error is all-or-nothing. Some coins made it to the Schuler machine but got a weak strike, leaving partial or faint lettering. These aren’t usually worth as much as the plain-edge coins, but collectors still want them.

Both Denver and Philadelphia produced these. Philly examples show up in both Position A and Position B. Denver coins have only surfaced in Position A so far.

For Philadelphia coins, position doesn’t affect value. You’re looking at $30 at MS63, climbing to $350 at MS67. Denver examples certified so far range from MS63 to MS65. An MS63 matches Philly at $30, and an MS65 — even two points below Philly’s best — still pulls about $300.

Check out this YouTube video from Couch Coin Clips for more Presidential dollar errors. At 1:09, there’s a Denver Polk dollar with a cool die adjustment error.

FAQs

Is the James K. Polk dollar worth anything?

Most Polk dollars are worth face value. Mintages were huge, and even nice-looking coins are easy to find. The exceptions are top-pop coins at the very highest grades — those can range from $25 to nearly $1,000 depending on mint mark and type. Certain error coins in high grades can also bring several hundred dollars.

What is a James Polk dollar coin made of?

No gold here despite the color. The core is pure copper, and the golden cladding is an alloy of copper, manganese, zinc, and nickel.