John Dillinger – 2 oz .999 Fine Silver Round – Public Enemy #1
A stark portrait and an imagined bank getaway recall one of the most notorious names of the Depression era. The John Dillinger round in the Public Enemy #1 series presents this chapter of American crime history in two troy ounces of .999 fine silver, pairing a recognizable face with a narrative reverse.
Explore the other designs in the Public Enemy #1 series.
A Name in the Headlines
John Dillinger’s bank robberies, escapes and flight from authorities attracted national attention in 1933 and 1934. His notoriety belonged to an era when newspaper coverage and gangster films helped turn violent criminals into familiar public figures, often blurring the distinction between the real events and the legends built around them.
The pursuit ended in Chicago on July 22, 1934, when federal agents confronted and killed Dillinger after he left the Biograph Theater. He had just attended a showing of Manhattan Melodrama, a gangster film. The case became a defining episode in the history of the federal investigative bureau that would become widely known as the FBI.
Obverse Design
Dillinger appears facing forward in a coat and tie, his closely combed hair and direct gaze giving the portrait a formal, almost photographic character. “PUBLIC ENEMY #1” arcs above him, while a reproduction of his signature occupies the lower right field.
Reverse Design
A bank building and a getaway car set the scene for an imagined robbery involving Dillinger and his gang. This is a fictional composition inspired by the period, not a documented reconstruction of one particular heist. The narrative scene contrasts with the restrained portrait on the obverse.
Specifications
- Weight: 2 troy ounces
- Purity: .999 fine silver
- Diameter: 39mm
- Thickness: Approximately 6mm
- Edge: Reeded
- Finish: Brilliant Uncirculated
American History in Silver
The round brings together portraiture, period storytelling and the substantial feel of two-ounce silver. It offers collectors of the Public Enemy #1 series a design centered on the complicated relationship between crime, publicity and historical memory.
Explore more designs in our silver round collection.
