Morgan Silver Dollar (1878–1921) Value Chart Guide (Rarest One Was Sold For A Lofty $2,086,875)

The Morgan silver dollar is a coin that has been minted multiple times over the history of the US Treasury. It was first minted between 1878 and 1904, then again in 1921. After 1921, the Morgan silver dollar was discontinued but due to popular demand was reminted in 2021.

The coin has a face value of 1 dollar, but many variations exist and if you happen to have a Morgan silver dollar the likelihood is that it is worth considerably more than face value. If you have a recent mint of the coin which was aimed at the collector’s market, the value will be much less than historic coins.

Quick Summary – How Much Are Morgan Silver Dollars Worth?

The value of your Morgan silver dollar will depend entirely on the coin itself. Variations of the coin can range from as little as $10 to over $10,000.

The average price of a Morgan silver dollar is around $100 per coin, this is still 100x the face value of the coin so you can see they are desirable and valuable.

These factors will determine how much your Morgan silver dollar is worth:

• The year of the mint (some years fewer coins were minted making them rarer).
• The mint mark (where it was minted, some mints had limited productions).
• The condition of the coin (coins in uncleaned good condition fetch more than cleaned or damaged coins).
• Errors (some coins have errors from the minting process that make them rarer and more valuable than standard mints).

Scroll down further for a table of Morgan silver dollar variants to get a rough indication of how much your Morgan silver dollar is worth.

A Brief History of The Morgan Silver Dollar

The Morgan silver dollar is a silver dollar that was designed by George T. Morgan. They differ from the standard silver dollars of the time which carried a slightly different design (by William Barber).

George Morgan was born in Birmingham, England and when the US treasury requested a master engraver from the London Mint, they recommended George Morgan. Morgan then travelled to the United States to begin his work.

The design of the Morgan silver dollar differed from the traditional coinage, and he replaced the typical Greek depiction of Lady Liberty with that of an American woman. He also incorporated the Bald Eagle on the reverse of the coin in a more decorative fashion than standard dollars.

Until 1893, mintage of the coin remained steady, but this changed with the introduction of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act of that year. The Mints were instructed to mint more silver dollars at this time, but as they had already accumulated a significant stockpile of silver dollars, minting coins declined during this period.

For this reason, coins minted from 1893 onwards are normally rarer than older coins. By 1898 after a small financial crisis, the Sherman Silver Purchase Act had been repealed and the minting of silver dollars returned to previous levels. This steady minting continued until the stockpile of silver bullion ran out in 1904, which is when the Morgan silver dollar first left production.

How to Identify the Morgan Silver Dollar

There are several ways to identify a Morgan silver dollar. The first is the relief on the coin itself. Morgan silver dollars tend to have detailed and elaborate reliefs compared to normal silver dollars which carry simpler designs.

You can also check the specifications of the coin below to discover whether you do indeed have a Morgan silver dollar.

You may also find a mint mark on your coin. The mint mark denotes where the coin was minted. The mint marks on Morgan silver dollars are as follows:

The composition of a Morgan silver dollar is 90% silver, 10% copper (1878-1904, 1921) or 99.9% silver for the 2021-onwards mintage.

Fake Morgan Silver Dollars

Because some Morgan silver dollars are extremely valuable there are fakes on the market. It might be obvious that higher value coins are faked but you may also come across mid to low value coins that are faked. This is because lower value coins tend to pass hands without as much scrutiny.

There are three easy ways to spot a fake coin:

1. Some Morgan silver dollars are only rare (and valuable) due to their mint mark. Forgeries will often add a mint mark by adding silver to a standard Morgan silver dollar. Examine the coin with a magnifying glass to see if the mint mark is correct with being struck – an added mint mark won’t resemble the striking of the original coin and will stand out like a sore thumb in most cases.
2. Adding silver to add the mint mark will also add weight to the coin – this means the weight will be higher than the weight listed above.
3. Forgeries aren’t struck coins; they are normally cut with lasers or other modern technology. You should be able to see whether the coin has been struck (pressed under a big weight) or laser cut from the edges of the details on the coin.

If you are concerned about telling the difference between a fake coin or a real one yourself, you can send the coin to be graded or have the seller get the coin graded. This evaluation will tell you if the coin is real and issue a certificate of authenticity and tell you the condition the coin is in (to get a more accurate valuation).

Morgan Silver Dollar Value Chart

The following chart outlines the current prices for Morgan silver dollar variants in ‘Extremely Fine’ condition and ‘Uncirculated’ condition. For other conditions you will need to get the coin appraised to get an exact value. This graph however should give you a rough indication of your Morgan silver dollars’ value.

Complete List of Morgan Silver Dollar Years

Note: Prices are correct as of August 2022 – be aware that coin values can change dramatically, and the market moves rapidly.

How Silver Dollars are Valued

Morgan silver dollars are valued according to rarity and condition.

From the graph above you will see that some years or mint marks are rarer than others and this drives up the value for collectors. Furthermore, the condition of your coin will have a big impact on the price. An extremely fine condition coin is a very high standard, but comparative to uncirculated coins the value is often much lower.

Uncirculated coins are the most desirable among collectors and will be graded as uncirculated or if they are particularly fine ‘choice uncirculated’. The highest grade is MS or ‘mint state’, these coins are uncirculated and in the condition they were at time of mint.

To find out more about how coins are graded you might find this video useful.

You may also find it useful to check out these links to obtain a free valuation of your Morgan silver dollar from novice coin collectors and antiques lovers. The online community is a great place.

• Reddit
• Collectors Universe
• CoinTalk
• Coin Value Checker

Where to Sell Silver Dollars Online

If you’re looking for a quick sale of your Morgan silver dollar, sites like eBay often have a range of coin collectors looking to purchase them.

You might need to put a reserve on your Morgan silver dollar using online marketplaces as collectors might not bid to minimum market value.

If you have a rarer more valuable coin, you should look at listing your coin in a private auction for coins or antiques as these will generate the highest return. Coin collectors are normally subscribed to auction house brochures, and you will find more high-end collectors in a private auction setting.

You will also find independent sellers depending on your location, like 2^nd Markets in Nashville, and Houston Coin Buyers in (you guessed it) Houston.

Rarest Morgan Silver Dollar Value

The highest value for a Morgan silver dollar was reached at a Great Collections auction. The coin was an 1893-S Morgan silver dollar with a PCGS grading of MS67 or mint state 67. It sold for a lofty $2,086,875.

There were many aspects that combined to give the coin this record value, first it was a rare mintage year (1893) and secondly it had a mint mark S which made it even rarer. Lastly it was in pristine condition or in layman’s terms, was in the condition it had when it was minted.

Morgan Silver Dollar Value by Year

For a quick look at the year your Morgan silver dollar was minted, have a look through the following sections to get a quick indication of the price.

1800 Morgan Silver Dollar Value

George Morgan first created the Morgan silver dollar in 1878, there were no Morgan silver dollars minted before this point. You may find however that you have a silver dollar minted before this point without the Morgan design.

These coins can be valuable, but you will need to find out the exact coin to ascertain the price.

1878 Morgan Silver Dollar Value

The price range for an 1878 Morgan silver dollar is $40 to $105.

1879 Morgan Silver Dollar Value

The price range for an 1879 Morgan silver dollar is $39 to $1700.

1880 Morgan Silver Dollar Value

The price range for an 1880 Morgan silver dollar is $39 to $350.

Also Read: 1880 Morgan Silver Dollar Value Chart: How Much Does it Worth Today

1881 Morgan Silver Dollar Value

The price range for an 1881 Morgan silver dollar is $39 to $450.

1883 Morgan Silver Dollar Value

The price range for an 1883 Morgan silver dollar is $39 to $145.

1884 Morgan Silver Dollar Value

The price range for an 1884 Morgan silver dollar is $39 to $300.

Also Read: 1884 Morgan Silver Dollar Value Chart (Most Valuable Ms-68 Has Been Auctioned At $900,000)

1885 Morgan Silver Dollar Value

The price range for an 1885 Morgan silver dollar is $39 to $600.

Read More: 1885 Morgan Silver Dollar Value Chart (Holds A Record Of $100,625)

1889 Morgan Silver Dollar Value

The price range for an 1889 Morgan silver dollar is $39 to $7500.

1896 Morgan Silver Dollar Value

The price range for an 1896 Morgan silver dollar is $39 to $800.

1900 Morgan Silver Dollar Value

The price range for an 1900 Morgan silver dollar is $39 to $90.

1901 Morgan Silver Dollar Value

The price range for an 1901 Morgan silver dollar is $39 to $300.

1921 Morgan Silver Dollar Value

The price range for an 1921 Morgan silver dollar is $37 to $41.

1922 Morgan Silver Dollar Value

After 1921, the Morgan silver dollar was discontinued until 2021. Other silver dollars of different design were minted and may be valuable. To get a value for these coins you will need to find out what type of silver dollar you have and check the price.

2021 Morgan Silver Dollar Value

The price range for a 2021 Morgan silver dollar is $1 to the value of the silver in the coin.

2022 Morgan Silver Dollar Value

The price range for a 2022 Morgan silver dollar is $1 to the value of the silver in the coin.

Mint Marks on Morgan Silver Dollars

Mint marks vary on Morgan silver dollars – see our charts above. If you have no mint mark it was minted in Philadelphia and could still be valuable as a result.

Typically, a San Francisco ‘S’ or Carson City ‘CC’ mint mark will generate the most additional value on a Morgan silver dollar. This is simply because fewer coins were minted in these locations, and therefore they are rarer.

FAQs

What is the Morgan silver dollar?

A Morgan silver dollar is a coin designed by George Morgan for the US Treasury.

What is the most valuable Morgan silver dollar?

The most valuable Morgan silver dollar sold for over $2 million. This coin may not be the most valuable coin – it is just the highest value reached when sold. Other collectors may have more valuable versions of the Morgan silver dollar in their collection.

Where is the mint mark on a Morgan silver dollar?

The mint mark is on the reverse of the coin below the relief and above the words ‘One Dollar’. They are small and not prominent.

Is it worth collecting Morgan silver dollars?

Yes, these coins typically appreciate over time. They will always have intrinsic value from the silver they are made from as well.

What’s the difference between a Morgan and regular silver dollar?

The Morgan silver dollar has a special relief designed by British engraver George Morgan. The design is more elaborate than most standard silver dollars.

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