Southern Hero Silver Coin Collection Overview
The Southern Hero Silver Coin Collection is a privately issued series of one-ounce .999 fine silver rounds honoring prominent leaders of the Confederate States of America. Each round features a high-relief portrait of a historical figure on the obverse paired with the Great Seal of the Confederate States of America on the reverse. Original educational booklets accompanying the Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson issues identify the series by name and describe the coins as struck in one troy ounce of .999 fine silver with a high-relief, shiny-satin finish. Although the coins themselves do not identify a manufacturer, multiple contemporaneous 2009 seller descriptions attribute the series to Northwest Territorial Mint, while the accompanying booklets were published by American Lantern Press under its Independent Living imprint.
Four portrait rounds have been documented:
- President Jefferson Davis (1808–1889)
- General Robert E. Lee (1807–1870)
- General Stonewall Jackson (1824–1863)
- General Nathan Bedford Forrest (1821–1877)
No additional subjects have been documented despite extensive research of contemporary sales listings, surviving examples, and original packaging.
Southern Hero Silver Coin Collection Specifications / Attribution
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Collection | Southern Hero Silver Coin Collection |
| Documented | By April 2009 |
| Type | Private Silver Bullion Rounds |
| Issuer | Unknown |
| Manufacturer / Mint | Probably Northwest Territorial Mint, based on multiple independent contemporaneous (April–July 2009) seller descriptions identifying the coins as newly minted by Northwest Territorial Mint (or “Northwest Mint”). No surviving primary mint documentation has been located. |
| Distributor | Unknown |
| Booklet Publisher | American Lantern Press |
| Publication Imprint | Independent Living |
| Metal | .999 Fine Silver |
| Weight | 1 Troy Ounce |
| Diameter | Approximately 39 mm |
| Edge | Reeded (a possible edge-lettered variety has been reported for the Robert E. Lee issue) |
| Finish | High relief with shiny-satin / proof-like fields |
| Reverse Design | Great Seal of the Confederate States of America |
| Packaging | Individual educational booklet with coin mounted inside |
Southern Hero Silver Coin Collection Notes
Original booklets have been documented for the Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson issues. Both booklets share an identical format, including a historical biography, coin description, and a cover identifying the Southern Hero Silver Coin Collection, demonstrating a coordinated publication program. The accompanying literature attributes neither the issuer nor the manufacturer.
Several contemporaneous 2009 sales listings describe the rounds as part of a “Heroes of the South” commemorative set minted by Northwest Territorial Mint for a southern-based organization. Because these descriptions were published while the coins were being offered as newly minted inventory, they provide strong secondary evidence for the mint attribution. However, in the absence of surviving manufacturer or distributor documentation, the attribution remains probable rather than confirmed.
One Robert E. Lee example has been reported with an incuse edge inscription reading “ONE OZ .999 FINE SILVER.” All other documented examples examined to date, including sixteen specimens from a single collection, have standard reeded edges without lettering. Additional examples are needed to determine whether this represents a distinct production variety.
Southern Hero Silver Coin Collection References
- Original Southern Hero Silver Coin Collection booklet (Robert E. Lee)
- Original Southern Hero Silver Coin Collection booklet (Stonewall Jackson)
- American Lantern Press, Independent Living imprint
- Contemporary online marketplace listings, April–July 2009
- Later marketplace and WorthPoint archive listings documenting surviving examples (2022–2026)
