Question: This may sound funny to you, but I just noticed the word “TRUST” on the Peace dollar is spelled “TRVST.” Does this have any significance?
Answer: Thanks for asking! The Peace dollar of 1921 to 1935 — none were produced 1929 to 1933 — was designed by Anthony de Francisci in November 1921. Despite the name, his original reverse design was considered defeatist instead of representative of peace. The reverse design was hastily “improved” by Mint engraver George T. Morgan, losing just about all of the original design in the process. De Francisci’s high relief 1921 obverse design was modeled by his wife, Teresa, and remained unscathed by the Mint’s revisions for that year anyway. As for the word TRVST, it is simply a measure of artistic license. De Francisci was trained in classical art and used a “V” in lieu of a “U” as there was no “U” in the earliest alphabet as we know it. Silver Dollars & Trade Dollars of the United States: A Complete Encyclopedia (Volume Two, 1993) by Q. David Bowers, gives an in-depth look at the Peace dollar from the earliest days of the concept. Though out of print it is mandatory reading for any Peace dollar enthusiast.
