John Adams Dollar Coin: 2007 Value, Edge Lettering and Error Checks

In this article

Quick answer

The John Adams Presidential dollar was issued in 2007, and a normal worn P- or D-mint example has a $1 face-value baseline. Its gold-colored appearance does not mean it contains gold. The 2007 date and mint mark are on the edge; 1797–1801 on the portrait side records Adams’s term in office.

The PCGS guide checked October 22, 2026 lists the 2007-P regular strike, Position A, at $6 in Mint State 63, $10 in Mint State 65 and $18 in Mint State 66. These are grade-specific retail estimates for uncirculated coins. Proofs, satin-finish coins and authenticated missing or doubled edge lettering require separate comparisons.

Coin photos

John Adams dollar obverse: 1797–1801 describes his presidential term, not the coin’s issue year.

Same coin’s Statue of Liberty reverse: the date and mint mark are on the edge rather than either face.

Basics & coin story

The Mint released the John Adams dollar into circulation on May 17, 2007, as the second Presidential $1 Coin after George Washington. Adams served as the second U.S. president, from 1797 to 1801. Joel Iskowitz designed the portrait, Charles L. Vickers sculpted it, and Don Everhart designed and sculpted the common Statue of Liberty reverse.

Moving inscriptions to the edge left room for larger portraits and a common reverse. It also created a practical identification trap: a collector examining only the two faces can miss both the production year and mint. The coin is distinct from the John Quincy Adams dollar honoring the sixth president, even though both portraits share the Adams surname.

Identification at a glance
Feature	What to check
Issue year / denomination	2007 / $1
Honoree	John Adams, second president, 1797–1801
Metal	Copper core with manganese-brass cladding; no gold
Nominal weight / diameter	8.10 g / 26.50 mm
Normal edge inscriptions	2007, mint mark, E PLURIBUS UNUM and IN GOD WE TRUST
Regular issues	Philadelphia P and Denver D
Collector alternatives	San Francisco Proof and separate satin-finish issues
Reverse	Statue of Liberty, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and $1

Identification

Read the entire edge

Rotate the coin under clear light and look for 2007 plus P, D or S. On this issue, IN GOD WE TRUST belongs on the edge, so its absence from the portrait and Liberty faces is normal. Examine all the way around before claiming that an inscription is missing.

Position A and Position B are normal orientations

PCGS uses Position A when the edge lettering reads upside down with the president’s portrait facing up; Position B reads normally in that position. Either orientation can occur on regular strikes. An upside-down inscription is therefore not, by itself, an edge-lettering error or a promise of a premium.

Separate edge errors from wear or alteration

Recognized missing-edge-lettering and doubled-edge-lettering errors exist. A second pass can produce overlapping or inverted lettering, which is different from the normal A/B orientation. Worn, scraped or mechanically removed lettering also needs to be excluded. Record clear photographs around the whole edge, both faces and the coin’s weight before seeking authentication.

Do not mix regular, satin and Proof finishes

Collector satin-finish coins and S Proofs are separate issues, not regular strikes made more valuable by a holder label. Proof edge lettering uses a different production method from the later lettering step on regular coins. Match the finish and exact catalog entry before comparing a price.

Condition & value

Amounts are in U.S. dollars. PCGS retail-guide examples were checked October 22, 2026 and apply only to the stated issue, grade and designation. They are not guaranteed purchase offers; current market conditions and selling costs can change the amount received.

Value comparisons: match the issue before using a price
Issue	Grade / condition	Value or reference	Basis	Important condition
Ordinary worn P or D	Circulated	$1 baseline	Face value	Normal edge lettering and orientation
2007-P regular, Position A	MS63	$6	PCGS retail guide	Problem-free uncirculated example
2007-P regular, Position A	MS65	$10	PCGS retail guide	No satin or Proof finish
2007-P regular, Position A	MS66	$18	PCGS retail guide	Correct grade and issue required
D / Position B / satin / Proof	Exact issue and grade	Use matching entry	Separate comparisons	Do not transfer Position A P prices
Missing or doubled edge lettering	Authenticated error	Case-specific	Specific error evidence	Wear and altered edges excluded

Mint State (MS) means uncirculated. Inspect the portrait and open fields for contact marks and rub rather than grading from gold-colored brightness. An ordinary circulated dollar should not inherit the price of a certified MS66 coin, and a set or roll asking price does not equal the value of one loose example.

For a claimed edge error, determine the error first and its condition second, then look for comparable sales. A dramatic high-grade error record is not a baseline for every Adams dollar. Use the grading scale and the Martin Van Buren dollar guide for comparison with another Presidential issue while keeping dates and edge inscriptions separate.

Summary

Identify John Adams, read 2007 and the mint mark on the edge, then separate normal orientation from a genuine lettering error. Start a worn regular coin at $1. Match grade and finish for a collector comparison, and preserve the complete edge when documenting a suspected error.

FAQ

Is the John Adams dollar dated 1797–1801?

Those years describe Adams’s presidential term. The coin’s issue date is 2007 and appears on its edge.

Is a John Adams dollar made of gold?

No. It has a copper core with manganese-brass cladding. Its gold-colored surface does not indicate gold content.

Is upside-down edge lettering an error?

Not by itself. Position A and Position B are normal edge-lettering orientations on regular strikes.

Where is IN GOD WE TRUST on a 2007 John Adams dollar?

It is on the edge along with the date, mint mark and E PLURIBUS UNUM. Inspect the entire edge before claiming it is missing.

References

References and further reading

Sources and quoted guide evidence checked October 22, 2026. Guide estimates, historical sales, face value and metal-content calculations are identified separately.