Morgan Silver Dollar Values

Carson City Morgan dollars are both very popular with collectors and are the scarce mintmark variety. Minted in only 13 years of the series, the mint's total production was 13.8 million coins, lowest of all mints. Each Carson City dollar is a premium coin in all grades. Lowest coinage years 1881, 1885, and 1889 are very scarce. High condition examples are closely judged and graded.

Carson City mint used a "CC" mintmark to identify its production. On the reverse under the bow tying the olive wreath a "CC" mintmark is a Carson City silver dollar.

San Francisco is the only mint that struck coins for circulation every year of the Morgan Dollar series. A complete date run of San Francisco variety dollars is a popular sub-collection. To complete the collection an 1893-S dollar is needed, the key high value coin to the series. 100,000 were minted, lowest mintage of any variety, all are highly sought.

San Francisco mint placed a small "S" mintmark on coins. On the reverse, under the bow a "S" mark confirms the San Francisco mint struck the coin.

New Orleans mint was also a great contributor to the Morgan dollar series. Striking coins in all but two years, its coinage total was second of the mints. Striking millions of silver dollars most years, just over 186 million coins were produced. Two dates standout as very scarce and valuable, 1893 a low of 300,000 coins minted and 1895 another unusually low 450,000 coined. Both are avidly sought and demand on the limited numbers show in premium values on the chart.

An "O" mintmark was used by the New Orleans mint on its coinage. This mintmark is found on the reverse, below the ribbon tying the wreath.

The Denver mint was called upon to strike silver dollars in one year of the series, 1921. Carson City and New Orleans mints were both closed and Denver contributed over 20 million 1921 silver dollars. These coins represent a unique one-year only variety with a strong demand. With the large supply, values are affordable, placing the coin on want lists of most collectors.

Denver mint used a "D" mintmark to indicate its production. On the reverse under the ribbon tying the wreath, look for the "D" mintmark of the Denver mint.

Philadelphia struck just over 305 million Morgan silver dollars of the total 657 million struck from all mints combined. These huge numbers are reflected in affordable values on the chart for most dates. Most years Philadelphia struck multi-million silver dollars, many years, tens of millions of coins. 1893, 1894, and 1899 are the scare issues matching low mintage years. Philadelphia issues are judge carefully to recognize high grade examples that break away from bullion value to collector premium values.

Philadelphia continued the trend of no mintmark on its coinage with the Morgan silver dollar series. In the space below the ribbons tying the bow, and just above the "DO" of "Dollar", no mintmark confirms the Philadelphia mint struck the coin.

Obverse: Features Identifying Mint State Grade: Absence of wear to the surface defines the Mint State grade. Minting of coins imparts a luster to the surface and is what gives a Morgan dollar its shine. Rotating and tilting under a light causes the luster to move across the surface. Any breaks in luster - due to wear - causes a dullness to the surface.

Judge Liberty's cheek, a mint state coin is lustrous across all areas.

Just above her forehead, fine strands of hair are high in relief. These waves of hair remain fully covered in the fine texture imparted during the minting process. All parts of the hair remain without dulling to the high points.

Cotton leaves, blossoms, and wheat grains form a wreath above the hair and all fine edges of the design are without any signs of smoothing due to wear.

Reverse: Features Identifying Mint State Grade: Delicate areas are inspected to identify absence of wear. Many small high relief points are part of the design of the eagle and leaves in the wreath, all are inspected.

Feathers on the Eagle's neck are centrally located, prone to first wear. Look close to confirm original mint luster and texture remains.

Tips of both wings on a mint state coin are rounded in profile with no flat spots, especially towards the ends.

Leaves in the wreath have fine edges and small contoured designs, forming high and low areas. All parts of the leaves are without any dulling and smooth spots.

Obverse: Features Identifying Extremely Fine Grade: Wear has begun to smooth and flatten the very tops of design details. Most luster is gone.

Hair above Liberty's forehead is showing a few flat areas. Along the tops of the waves are areas where the fine lines have merged. Waves remain with a high profile.

Just in front of the ear, hair is raised and separated from cheek.

Cotton leaves are smooth along the edges but are well defined from the cap.

Reverse: Features Identifying Extremely Fine Grade: Light wear is causing small disconnected flat areas over the feathers and leaves.

Neck feathers are will defined. Flatness is on tops of feathers and little evidence of merging is noted.

Wing feathers are slightly flattened on upper edges only. Each feather is bold and separated from the next. View along the top edge of wings, feather detail show.

All leaves of the wreath are bold with central line detail. No merging of individual leaves, wear is confined to just upper edges.

Obverse: Features Identifying the Fine Grade: Flat areas are beginning to dominate the surface of a Morgan dollar in Fine grade.

Above Liberty's forehead many of the waves of hair are flat with only a few fine inner lines remaining. Hair directly above eye is well raised and separate of forehead.

Her ear is still bold in detail, however just above is a large flat area. Flatness continues towards the temple with hair blending with the cheek and temple.

Outlines of the two cotton blossoms and all leaves remain. Very faint but visible are the two lower cotton leaves.

Reverse: Features Identifying the Fine Grade: A bold eagle remains on the reverse with most of the feather detail still clear.

Neck feathers are now smooth in the center from head to chest. Legs of the eagle are also smooth with only slight details to sides of legs.

Wing feathers are complete over most of both wings. Some blending of feather lines is seen on the left wing, confined towards the top.

Leaves of the wreath are well detailed, merging of edges is minimal. Lower leaves within the groups are very bold.

Obverse: Features Identifying the Good Grade: Once a silver dollar is worn to a mostly flat surface lacking detail to Liberty, a Good grade is assigned to its condition.

Some detail remains in the hair above the date. Liberty's portrait is well outline and somewhat bold from the field of the coin.

Lettering of the legend is complete and readable. Additionally, all stars are visible, raised above the field and separate of the rim.

Two cotton blossoms just below the letters of "Liberty" are recognizable.

Reverse: Features Identifying the Good Grade: All major designs on the reverse are recognizable. An eagle is complete, lettering is readable and the wreath remains boldly outlined.

Tips to the eagle's wing are outlined and free of the rim. The right wing is often just touching the rim.

Feather details remain visible on the lower parts of wings. Tail feathers are clearly defined.

Many of the leaves of the wreath are flattened into groups but the wreath is complete in outline, no merging with the field.

Tops of lettering is free of the rim along most of the Legend. One or two slight connections of the letters to the rim are the result of striking weakness in the area. Note: Wide spread fading of the legend into the rim indicates a lower condition coin.

Silver Dollar Values | Remarkable

Coin values spanning 140 years. Discover the many rare dates, mintmarks and varieties. Next, "Grading" Images to evaluate the condition of your coins and find the true value of your silver dollars. From early dollars in 1794 to the Liberty Seated variety 1840-1873. Next the ever popular Morgan Dollar to the Peace Dollars ending in 1935.