Dollar Morgan Coin Overview and Guide

The Dollar Morgan Coin is an iconic American coin that's been around since 1878. It's made of 90% silver and 10% copper.

The coin was designed by George T. Morgan, a British engraver, and its design has remained largely unchanged over the years. The Dollar Morgan Coin is a must-have for any coin collector.

The coin's obverse features a portrait of Lady Liberty, while the reverse showcases an eagle in flight, symbolizing freedom. This design has become synonymous with American values.

The coin's value lies not only in its historical significance but also in its rarity and condition.

Suggestion: 45 Euros in American Dollars

The Design and History of the Dollar Morgan is a fascinating story. Morgan's design was chosen over Charles Barber's for the new silver dollar, which would replace the Liberty Seated design that had been in use since 1836.

The project accelerated in 1878 with the passage of the Bland-Allison Act, which required the Treasury Department to buy silver bullion and convert it into standard silver dollars. The act was a response to the Panic of 1873 and the subsequent decline in silver prices due to increased mining in the Western United States.

Morgan's design was based on local teacher Anna Willess Williams, who had been his model for an 1877 pattern half dollar. He was impressed with her profile and described it as the most perfect he had seen in America.

The Dollar Morgan was composed of .900 silver and .100 copper, with a diameter of 38.1 mm and a weight of .77344 oz. pure silver. It was minted at several locations, including Philadelphia, New Orleans, Carson City, Denver, and San Francisco.

Morgan wanted to depict a real American woman on the new silver coinage instead of creating an imaginary figure. He was able to achieve this with his design, which featured the profile of Anna Willess Williams.

Production of the Morgan dollar began on March 11, 1878, over a week after the Bland-Allison Act was passed.

The first acceptable strike was coined at 3:17 p.m. at the Philadelphia Mint and was given to President Hayes.

The Philadelphia Mint halted production of all other coins and began operating overtime due to pressure from the high demand for Morgan dollars.

Linderman eventually sent dies to the Western mints, which arrived in San Francisco and Carson City on April 16, 1878.

The New Orleans Mint began striking the new silver dollars in 1879.

The Denver Mint, established in 1906, struck the coins for only one year, in 1921.

The Morgan dollar contained 90% silver and 10% copper, measured 38.1 millimeters in diameter, and weighed 412.5 grains.

Here's an interesting read: West Point Mint Facility

The 1893-S Morgan dollar is the key date in the series, with a mintage of just 100,000 coins struck at the San Francisco Mint.

This low mintage makes it extremely rare, especially in mint state (MS) condition.

In 2021, an 1893-S Morgan dollar in MS-67 sold for a staggering $2,086,875.00.

For more insights, see: Mint Mark

The Carson City Mint was a significant player in the world of dollar Morgan coins.

In 1962, an individual redeemed a silver certificate and received a rare and valuable Morgan dollar from the Philadelphia Mint. The coin was from a bag of silver dollars in the vault of the Philadelphia Mint.

This incident triggered huge interest in the general public, leading to a surge in demand to exchange silver certificates for silver dollars. The U.S. Treasury discovered previously unknown mint bags in its vaults containing slightly more than 2.8 million Carson City silver dollars.

These coins were generally lower in number than others minted at the Carson City mint. Treasury officials decided to hold them back for this reason.

On May 12, 1969, the Joint Commission on Coinage held a meeting to determine the best way to sell the Carson City-minted dollars. They recommended a mail bid sale.

The U.S. Treasury conducted a total of seven mail bid sales between 1972 and 1980 to sell the Carson City-minted dollars.

Discover more: Dollar Tree Sell Condoms

The Morgan dollar has been featured in various commemorative designs over the years, often highlighting significant events or people in American history.

One notable example is the 1878 Morgan dollar, which was designed by George T. Morgan and featured a woman with a crown on her head, representing Liberty.

The Morgan dollar has also been used to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Philadelphia Mint in 1968, with a special edition coin featuring a modified design.

The Philadelphia Mint produced over 1.2 billion Morgan dollars between 1878 and 1904, making it one of the most widely produced coins in U.S. history.

Commemorative designs often have a unique mintage, such as the 1889 Morgan dollar, which was produced in a limited quantity of 1,000 coins.

The Morgan dollar has also been featured in various special editions, including the 1921 Morgan dollar, which was produced in a limited quantity of 86,000 coins.

Here's an interesting read: History of Morgan Silver Dollar

The 2021 Morgan Dollars were a hot commodity, selling out on the U.S. Mint website in just 45 minutes. They were priced at $85 apiece and were available for purchase in May 2021.

Each 2021 Morgan Dollar contains 0.858 troy oz. of .999 fine silver with an uncirculated finish. The coins were minted in three locations: Philadelphia (no mint mark), Denver (D), and San Francisco (S).

Two-thirds of the Philadelphia-minted dollars contained "privy marks" for the now defunct Carson City (CC) and New Orleans (O) mints. This was a unique feature of the 2021 Morgan Dollars.

The US Mint originally decided to continue the Morgan and Peace Dollar program for 2022 and beyond minted in San Francisco (S) with a proof finish. However, due to "supply chain issues, production capacity and shipping logistics", and the rising price of silver, the plans were scrapped in March 2022.

For 2023, the US Mint announced plans to release Morgan Dollars in three finishes: Uncirculated, Proof, and Reverse Proof. The Uncirculated Morgan Dollar was released on July 13, 2023, and sold out on the first day of issue.

The prices of dollar Morgan coins can vary greatly depending on the condition, rarity, and other factors.

In 2021, a 1878 CC dollar Morgan coin sold for USD 391.87 (EUR 378.00) at Aurora Numismatica.

The same auction house sold a 1880 CC – 3rd reverse, overdate 8/7dash, (normal strike) dollar Morgan coin for USD 733.98 (EUR 708.00) in 2021.

A 1880 O dollar Morgan coin sold for USD 44.58 (EUR 43.00) at Katz Auction 79 in 2023.

A 1881 S dollar Morgan coin sold for USD 481.48 (CHF 437.00) at Sincona AG in 2021.

Here's a list of some notable sales of dollar Morgan coins:

The prices of dollar Morgan coins can fluctuate over time, and the values mentioned above may not reflect the current market prices.

Rare dollar coins are highly sought after by collectors, and one of the most valuable is the 1879 CC Silver Morgan Dollar, graded MS66+, which sold for $290,000 in 2023.

The Carson City Mint facility produced only Morgan silver dollars from 1878 to 1893, and the 1879 mintage was particularly low, with only 756,000 coins produced. Of those, only 200 or so are estimated to survive to this day.

The "CC" mintmark on the reverse side of the coin is a distinguishing feature, appearing just above and between the letters "D" and "O" in "DOLLAR". The date appears on the obverse, beneath the head of Lady Liberty.

The value of rare dollar coins is determined by their condition, with coins graded MS0 or higher being highly valuable. All surviving Morgan dollars are believed to be uncirculated examples, graded MS0 or higher.

The 1880 CC Morgan Silver Dollar, graded MS68, is worth $300,000, according to the PCGS. The 1885 CC Morgan Silver Dollar, graded MS68+, is also worth $300,000.

The San Francisco Mint facility produced 3.2 million Morgan silver dollars in 1884, but fewer than 200,000 are thought to survive, with fewer than 2,000 in mint state. Examples in gem quality are virtually unheard of, making them highly valuable.

The 1884 S Morgan Silver Dollar, graded MS68, was last sold in 2020 for $750,000 and is now valued at $900,000 by the PCGS.

On a similar theme: 1900 O Morgan Silver Dollar Worth