2014-P $1 Herbert Hoover Position A (Regular Strike)

2014-P Herbert Hoover Presidential Dollar

The 2014-P Herbert Hoover Presidential Dollar (Position A: #526303, Position B: #526304) is the Philadelphia Mint version of the United States Mint’s tribute to the nation’s 31st President. Its total mintage of 4,480,000 was struck exclusively for the collector market as none were released into general circulation following the Treasury Department’s late-2011 decision to suspend the circulation phase of the Presidential Dollar program.

Herbert Hoover’s Life and Legacy

While the Presidential Dollar series features many iconic leaders, it also highlights presidents with complex historical legacies. Herbert Hoover is frequently ranked among the nation's most criticized chief executives due to his stewardship of the economy following the 1929 stock market crash. Notably, it was Hoover who popularized the term "depression" to describe the economic panic, and he remains synonymous with the federal government's initially restrained response to the crisis.

However, the historical Hoover was far more multifaceted than his political caricature suggests. Born in 1874 to a Quaker family in West Branch, Iowa, Hoover was orphaned at age nine. He later enrolled in the inaugural class at Stanford University, where he studied geology before building a global fortune as a mining executive in Australia and China.

The "Great Humanitarian"

At the onset of World War I, Hoover’s philanthropic efforts earned him international acclaim. He spearheaded the evacuation of Americans from Europe and organized a massive relief initiative to feed starving civilians in Belgium. This success led President Woodrow Wilson to appoint him Director of the U.S. Food Administration, where he successfully galvanized the American public to conserve food for the Allied war effort.

In 1921, President Warren G. Harding appointed Hoover as Secretary of Commerce, a role he maintained throughout the "Roaring Twenties." In 1927, he further solidified his reputation as the "Great Humanitarian" by overseeing the federal response to the Great Mississippi River Flood, an operation that provided relief to over 1.5 million displaced Americans.

The Presidency and the Great Depression

Hoover entered the White House in 1929 after a landslide electoral victory. However, his "scientific" engineering mindset and reliance on voluntary cooperation proved ill-suited for the severity of the global economic collapse. By 1932, unemployment had reached nearly 25%, and "Hoovervilles"—makeshift shantytowns—became a grim staple of the American landscape.

Combined with the surge in organized crime under Prohibition (the 18th Amendment), Hoover’s popularity plummeted. He carried only six states in his 1932 loss to Franklin D. Roosevelt. Despite this defeat, Hoover remained active in public life, later assisting the Truman and Eisenhower administrations with post-war government reorganization and European relief. He passed away on October 20, 1964.

Launch Ceremony and Distribution

The 2014-P Herbert Hoover Presidential Dollar was officially introduced on June 19, 2014, during a launch ceremony at the Figge Auditorium, located within the Hoover Presidential Library-Museum in West Branch, Iowa. The event was a collaborative effort between the Library-Museum and the Hoover Presidential Foundation.

The ceremony’s keynote speaker was Leslie Hoover-Lauble, great-granddaughter of the 31st President. She was accompanied by Michael A. Olson, a former member of the Citizens Coinage Advisory Commission (CCAC). As a highlight of the event, the pair displayed a $250 bag of the new coins to the public.

Event Highlights and Sales

• Youth Outreach: To encourage interest in the hobby, the first 100 children under the age of 14 received a free specimen from Ms. Hoover-Lauble.
• On-Site Availability: Attendees were given the opportunity to purchase 25-coin rolls of both Philadelphia and Denver strikes, as well as the 2014 Presidential Dollar Proof Set.
• Direct Sales: Simultaneous with the Iowa ceremony, the United States Mint opened sales to the general public via its website and telephone ordering system, offering 25-coin rolls, 100-coin bags, and 250-coin bags.

Collecting the 2014-P Herbert Hoover Presidential Dollar

Raw examples of the 2014-P Herbert Hoover Presidential Dollar generally trade for under $5 each, while 25-coin rolls sell for approximately $40. A popular method for acquiring these is through the 2014 Uncirculated Coin Set, which contains one "P" and one "D" mint issue of every circulating United States coin.

As for the grade of the coins acquired through these means, your mileage may vary. The manganese-brass composition of these "golden dollars" is highly reactive to environmental factors; the surfaces can stain or tarnish, often leaving a dull "camel-gold" color if not properly cared for. While coins can occasionally develop attractive toning, this is a less frequent occurrence. These factors are often overlooked by collectors of post-2000 dollar coins and will certainly add complexity to the pursuit of high-grade specimens in the future.

Dealers typically submit fresh coins to PCGS for certification, where problem-free examples usually fall into the PCGS MS65 or PCGS MS66 range.

Understanding Edge Lettering Positions

Presidential Dollars utilize a collar press to apply edge lettering (the date, mint mark, and mottoes). The orientation depends entirely on which side of the coin was facing "up" when it passed through the schuler edge-lettering machine. The distribution between Positions A and B is roughly equal.

• Position A: The edge lettering appears upside-down when the obverse (heads) is facing up.
• Position B: The edge lettering appears right-side-up when the obverse is facing up.

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