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Morgan Dollars
Home » Coin Collecting » Popular Coins » Morgan DollarsThe Morgan dollar (named after its designer, George Morgan) was the result of lobbying by silver mine owners in favor of a new silver dollar. The U.S. government ceased minting silver dollars in 1873, but in 1878, the mint issued the Morgan silver dollar. The government continued to offer the Morgan dollar until 1904, and then again briefly in 1921, before it was replaced by the Peace dollar.
The front of the Morgan dollar portrays Miss Liberty, and the reverse contains an image of a thin eagle. The dollars circulated primarily in the western United States, and were made in San Francisco and Carson City, as well as the main mint in Philadelphia.
Over the years, the government melted down millions of these coins to replenish the nation’s silver supplies, and less than twenty percent of the Morgan dollars survive. The coin mostly faded away from popular concern until at least the 1960s, when an increase in their popularity coincided with the discovery of 400,000 Morgan dollars in a Nevada basement.
Today, the Morgan dollar is among the most popular American coins. The value of the coins varies widely and depends on the year and location of the minting. It is possible, however, to obtain a set of coins from each year the coin was minted. If you have a Morgan dollar, contact a coin collector or search the Internet to try and discover how much yours is worth.
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