The Morgan Silver Dollar is so called because it is named after the engraver that designed the coin, George T. Morgan.  During the years 1878 to 1893, Morgan silver dollars were minted in Carson City; during the years 1878 to 1904, the coins were minted in the city of Philadelphia, and in 1921 the coin was actually minted in Denver.  During all the years that the Morgan silver dollar was minted, the coin was also minted in the city of San Francisco.
For more details about the Morgan dollar, visit:
http://rarecoins.org/Morgan_silver_dollars.htm.


Morgan Silver Dollars:  Obverse Side

The Morgan silver dollar is a stunningly crafted coin, and the images portrayed on the coin are striking, clear, and crisp.  On the obverse side of the Morgan silver dollar, the coin collector or enthusiast will find the Lady Liberty design created by George T. Morgan.  The profile of Lady Liberty is a side profile making the image appear much like a traditional cameo.  The word “LIBERTY” appears on the ribbon in Lady Liberty’s hair.  The date that the coin was crafted is positioned just below the neckline of Lady Liberty’s profile, and above her head the words “E Pluribus Unum” are arched, meaning “Out of many, One.”  Thirteen stars are also fixed around the lower portion of the coin’s circumference representing the original thirteen colonies.


Morgan Silver Dollars:  Reverse Side

On the reverse side of Morgan silver dollars, one will find an image of an eagle grasping an olive branch as well as three arrows.  The bald eagle’s wings are spread, and arched beneath the eagle is a half wreath of laurel leaves.  Just above the bald eagle’s head are the words “In God we trust;” arched below the eagle image are the words “one dollar,” and arched above the bird’s head are the words “ The United States of America.”  On the Morgan silver dollar, the words “one dollar” is separated from the rest of the text on the reverse side of the coin by a single star on each side.  Since the eagle depiction on this coin is rather on the thin side, some individuals aptly applied the “buzzard dollar” moniker to this particular coin.


About Morgan Silver Dollars

The Morgan dollar has a gross weight equivalent to nearly 27 grams and has just over .77 ounces of silver content.  The coin is an alloy mix of ninety percent silver mixed with ten percent copper.  The copper is added to the coin to ensure the coins durability since silver is such a soft and pliable metal.  The coin’s edge is beautifully reeded, and the copper/silver alloy mix gives the coin a unique, cream-like coloring.  These coins were marked by their engraver as well; the letter “M” can be identified on the obverse side of the coin right along the ridged neckline of Lady Liberty as well as on the left ribbon on the reverse side of the Morgan dollar.  The mint mark on the Morgan dollar appears on the reverse side of the coin just below the laurel wreath’s center.

Some Morgan dollars have eagles on the back with only seven feathers in the tail, while others have an eagle tail containing eight feathers; this change was made at the request of the coin designer to improve upon the coin’s symmetry.  There are also Morgan dollars that have mistakes in their striking, and many coin collectors prefer to find such rare coins for collection.


Why Buy Morgan Silver Dollars?

Serious coin collectors and enthusiasts covet the Morgan silver dollar.  This coin was often overlooked and passed on by collectors until the 1960s.  The Morgan dollar’s value will clearly vary and depends upon the coin’s mintage, whether the coin was circulated or not, and the wear and tear on the coin, if any.  Holes, pits, stains, dents, scratches, and divots as well as worn down areas on the coin will weaken or lessen the Morgan silver dollar values.  The more intense the damage on the coin, the lower the Morgan silver dollar values become.  If the coin has been cleaned up, it will also minimize the value of Morgan dollars.


Where To Buy Morgan Silver Dollars

Coin auctions in the local area are one place where a coin enthusiast can find Morgan dollars.  Local coin dealers also offer the opportunity to buy Morgan coins as well.  However, the most competitive place to look for Morgan dollars is on the Internet.  Since there are many coin sellers online, the prices are highly competitive, and the selection the coin enthusiast has to choose from is maximized.

Morgan dollars are available on the Internet for sale at various online auctions and from professional coin dealers offering Morgan dollars via Internet purchasing options.  Below are several sites where Morgan dollars can be found:

eBay.com®:  Online coin auctioneers offer Morgan dollars on eBay for bidding.  The Morgan dollars are sold with available images, so the coin enthusiast can assess the quality of the coin by seeing photos of the obverse and reverse side of the coin before placing a bid.  Prices can range from as little as $75 to as much as nearly $55,000 depending upon the rarity and condition of the Morgan dollar for sale.  Viewing seller feedback and having the coin evaluated upon receipt are highly recommended if bidding on Morgan dollars through auctioning websites.

For more information visit eBay.com at: http://www.ebay.com.

Austin Coins also sells Morgan dollars; a coin collector can get an entire roll of Morgan dollars, including ten coins in all, for as little as $375.00.  The increase in present day silver prices is driving many coin collectors to buy up the coins offered by Austin Coins quickly too.  This site offers a triple money back guarantee on items ordered, accepts a variety of different payment forms, and the company has a number of solid organizational affiliations including: the Professional Coin Grading Service, the Numismatic Guaranty Corp, the American Numismatic Association, and the Texas Numismatic Association.

For more information, visit:
http://www.austincoins.com/Morgan_silver_dollars.htm.