EXHIBIT 5.1

                         (WILLIAM F. BOYD LETTER HEAD)

September 16, 2003

COEUR D'ALENE MINES CORPORATION
400 Coeur d'Alene Mines Building
505 Front Avenue
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho 83814

         Re: Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         I have acted as counsel for Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation, an Idaho
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the underwritten public offering
of up to 23,730,250 shares (the "Shares") of the Company's common stock, par
value $1.00 per share (the "Common Stock"), pursuant to the Registration
Statement of the Company on Form S-3 (File No. 333-101434), as amended, and as
supplemented by a preliminary prospectus supplement filed on September 4, 2003
and a prospectus supplement filed on September 11, 2002, each filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) promulgated under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Registration Statement"), consisting
entirely of Shares to be issued by the Company and including 3,095,250 shares of
Common Stock for which the underwriters have exercised an option to purchase to
cover any over-allotments.

         For the purposes of the opinions set forth below, I have examined and
am familiar with the proceedings taken and proposed to be taken by the Company
in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares. I have also made such
other factual and legal inquiries and examinations as I deemed necessary and
appropriate under the circumstances. In arriving at the following opinions, I
have relied, among other things, upon my examination of such corporate records
of the Company and certificates of officers of the Company and of public
officials and such other documents as I have deemed appropriate. In such
examination, I have assumed the genuineness of all signatures,


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September 16, 2003
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the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals, the conformity
to original documents of all documents submitted to me as certified or
photostatic copies and the authenticity of the originals of such copies. With
respect to agreements and instruments executed by natural persons, I have
assumed the legal competency of such persons.

         Based upon the foregoing examination and in reliance thereon, I am of
the opinion that the Shares, when issued and sold pursuant to the Registration
Statement and in accordance with the terms of the underwriting agreement among
the Company and the underwriters named therein, will be validly issued, fully
paid and nonassessable.

         I render no opinion herein as to matters involving the laws of any
jurisdiction other than the United States of America and the General Corporation
Law of the State of Idaho. This opinion is limited to the effect of the present
state of the laws of the United States of America and the State of Idaho and the
facts as they presently exist. I assume no obligation to revise or supplement
this opinion in the event of future changes in such laws or the interpretations
thereof or in such facts.

         I consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement, and I further consent to the use of my name under the
caption "Legal Matters" in the prospectus supplement that forms a part of the
Registration Statement . In giving these consents, I do not thereby admit that I
am within 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations promulgated by
the Commission under the Securities Act.

                                      Very truly yours,

                                      /s/ William F. Boyd
                                      William F. Boyd

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