1885 Silver Dollar Value

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The trade dollar from 1885 was designed by William Barber and there are only five proofs made of this year, so a very rare coin and maybe the rarest on this planet. In January 2006 an authentic 1885 Trade Dollar which was previously owned by the legendary “King of Coins” banker, Louis E. Eliasberg Sr. was sold for $3.3 Million at an auction in Dallas, Texas, USA.

  1. 1885 Silver Dollar Value Lady Liberty
  2. 1885 O Morgan Silver Dollar Value
  3. 1885 Silver Dollar Value E Pluribus Unum
  4. 1885 Silver Dollar Value Mint
  5. 1885 Silver Dollar Value No Mint
  6. 1885 Silver Dollar Value Morgan Silver Dollar

Some 1885 Trade Dollar coin facts.

The 1878 Morgan silver dollar has a diameter of 38.1 mm and a mass of 26.73 grams. Compositionally, the coin is 90% silver and 10% copper. Valuing the 1878 Morgan Silver Dollar. There are three main factors that contribute to the value of an 1878 Morgan silver dollar. Silver dollar - 1985 - National Parks - 1885-1985 prices and values The melt and minimum value of a Silver dollar - 1985 - National Parks - 1885-1985 is $ 12.87 CAD. Prices in CAD $. Morgan Silver Dollar mintmark location Question: I have several morgan dollars ranging from 1900 to 1922. I have looked for the mint mark, under the eagle and above the 'D', but cannot see a mint mark there. Proof examples of Morgan Dollars from all years, including 1885, are rare which makes them expensive. 1885 Morgan Silver Dollar Mintage Figures 1885: 17,787,000; $35+ 1885-CC: 228,000; $550+ 1885-O: 9,185,000; $35+ 1885-S: 1,497,000; $50+ 1885. Answer: The value of an 1885 Morgan dollar is between $21 (very fine) up to $2000 (uncirculated) depending on the mintmark and grade of the coin. If the coin has no mintmark, so struck in Philadelphia, or it has a mintmark O (New Orleans) then the value is mostly between $20 to $200 depending on the grade of the coin.

Silver
  • Mintage: Circulation strikes: 0 / Proofs: 5.
  • Designer: William Barber.
  • Diameter: 38.1 mm.
  • Composition: Silver (90%) and Copper (10%).
  • Weight: 27.2 grams.
  • Edge: Reeded.
  • Mintmark: Above the D from Dollar. (None for Philadelphia)
1885


Here below are the images from an 1885 trade dollar and an 1885 trade dollar counterfeit coin from Chinese origin. What can be noticed when comparing these coins is the slick surface from the counterfeit coin.

Authentic 1885 Silver Trade Dollar – Obverse

Counterfeit 1885 Silver Trade Dollar – Obverse

When comparing both trade dollars from the year 1885 the following differences are easy to see on the counterfeit coin and not on the authentic coin.

  • The numbers are not exactly the same, but hard to notice.
  • The stars are not detailed even the coin itself is. (too flat and not sharp)
  • In general like most forgeries soft details and slick surfaces.

Authentic 1885 Silver Trade Dollar – Reverse

Counterfeit 1885 Silver Trade Dollar – Reverse

Silver

The reverse side of the counterfeit 1885 trade dollar we used for this example was having a very slick surface and soft details. What can be noticed also when comparing the details from the reverse side to the obverse side is that these do not match in quality and with authentic coins this mostly does.

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Buy NGC Graded 1885 Morgan Silver Dollars on eBay

The 1885 Morgan Silver Dollar is a highly collectible item, which is worth its weight in silver (and one of our favorite coins of all-time here at Coin Value Investor). That’s true in a literal sense, as even the worst copy is still worth a decent amount when looking at the value of the raw materials.

As the first standard silver dollar minted since the passage of the Coinage Act of 1873, it’s seen as one of the more important options from the 19th century, while there are four different types to look out for.

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First minted in 1794 in Philadelphia, you’ll be able to tell the difference between each type by looking out for a mintmark at the base of the reverse.

1885 Silver Dollar Value Lady Liberty

We’ve come up with a list containing everything you could possibly need to know about the 1885 Morgan Silver Dollar, including a buyers guide and pricing info

1885 Morgan Silver Dollar Types

There are four 1885 Morgan Silver Dollar types, relating to the city in which it was minted.

The front has an image of Lady Liberty, with the U.S. motto; ‘E Pluribus Unum’ found at the top. The year of release is found at the bottom. Meanwhile, the reverse has an eagle, a wreath, the denomination, and a small mintmark, if applicable.

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Of course, much will depend on both the grade and the condition, having a major impact on the overall price and value. We’ll start off with the most plentiful version, hailing from Philadelphia.

1885 O Morgan Silver Dollar (buy on eBay)

The 1885 Silver O is from New Orleans. As you may have guessed, it has an O mint mark on the reverse.

They were produced in significant numbers, with a total of 9,185,000 altogether.

Related:

1889 Morgan Silver Dollar

1886 Morgan Silver Dollar

18851885 silver dollar value

1921 Morgan Silver Dollar

1885 Morgan Silver Dollar No Mint Mark (buy on eBay)

With 17,787,000 1885 Morgan Silver Dollars minted in Philadelphia, it’s by far the least rare.

It wouldn’t be all that surprising to find an 1885 morgan silver dollar with no mint mark on your grandpa’s old jar of coins, to be honest depending on how old he is (if your grandpa is 85 years of age or older and has jars filled with coins you better get an expert in to look at those).

Unlike the others, it has no mint mark at the base, so it’s easy to identify. (It can usually be found on the reverse side of the coin below the wreath.)

1885 CC Morgan Silver Dollar (buy on eBay)

Next up is the Carson City issue, which is by far the rarest and most valuable overall. It’s clear to see why, as only 228,000 were originally minted, which is a tiny fraction compared to the others.

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There’s a small CC located on this 1885 Morgan Silver Dollar, and it’s the most difficult to find if you’d like the complete set.

1885 S Morgan Silver Dollar (buy on eBay)

Lastly, The 1885 S stands for San Francisco. A rarer option, just 1,497,000 were produced that year.

This has led to a slightly higher price compared to both the Philadelphia and New Orleans coins, but even uncirculated versions are reasonably affordable.

1885 Morgan Silver Dollar Values

  • 1885 Morgan Silver Dollar: $39 (extremely fine) or $41 (uncirculated)
  • 1885 CC Morgan Silver Dollar: $570 (ef) or $590 (uc)
  • 1885 O Morgan Silver Dollar: $39 (ef) or $41 (uc)
  • 1885 S Morgan Silver Dollar: $63 (ef) or $110 (uc)

Please note the above values are based on the 2021 Red Book 74th Edition.

1885 O Morgan Silver Dollar Value

1885 Morgan Silver Dollar FAQ
Here are answers to some of the more common questions relating to the 1885 Morgan Silver Dollar. Let us know if you have any questions that we haven’t covered.
Q: Which is the most valuable 1885 Morgan Silver Dollar?
A: The 1985 Morgan Dollar Carson City (CC) Mint is the most expensive
Q: Which is the least valuable 1885 Morgan Silver Dollar?
A: The 1885 Morgan Dollar is the least valuable at $41 uncirculated.
Q: How many 1885 Morgan Silver Dollars were printed?
A: It depends on which version you’re looking at, but there were 28,697,000 minted altogether. Of course, many have been melted down or destroyed over the years.
Q: What is the composition of the 1885 Morgan Silver Dollar?
A: 90% silver, 10% copper.
Q: What is the weight of the 1885 Morgan Silver Dollar?
A: 26.73 grams.
Q: Why are 1885 Morgan Silver Dollars so expensive?
A: Despite being produced in high numbers, the Pittman Act of 1918 led to the melting of more than 270 million Morgan Silver Dollars, which effectively means far fewer exist today than are reflected in the mintage figures discussed above
Q: How can you tell if a coin is ‘uncirculated’?
A: An uncirculated version of the 1885 Morgan Silver Dollar will show no signs of wear, and will still look as though it’s brand new.
Q: Are there any special varieties of the 1885 Morgan Silver Dollar?
A: No, the CC is seen as the rarest option, and there are no special die varieties.

1885 Silver Dollar Value E Pluribus Unum

1885 Morgan Silver Dollar Proof

Looking to purchase an 1885 Morgan Silver Dollar Proof coin but don’t know where to start please email us at advice@coinvaluecollector.com or DM us at the Coin Value Investor Facebook Page.

One of the best places to buy the 1885 Morgan Silver Dollar Proof is on eBay or Heritage Auctions (buy the 1885 morgan silver dollar proof on eBay now).

1885 Silver Dollar Buyers Guide & Investment Outlook

  • Investment Rating: Strong Buy (4.7 out of 5)
  • Ownership Disclosure: One (1) 1885 Morgan Dollar (CC), Two (2) 1885 Morgan Dollar (O), One (1) 1885 CC Morgan Silver Dollar
  • Best 1985 Morgan Silver Dollar:1885 CC Morgan Silver Dollar We look to only invest in the highest grade specimens possible (look for PCGS and NGC grades as they are the best).

1885 Silver Dollar Value Mint

Silver is always going to be a valuable commodity, while the coins are well over a century old. Currency does well from an investment perspective, while the CC version is more expensive than many of the Morgan Silver Dollars that came before.

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1885 Silver Dollar Value No Mint

It’s currently worth more than the melt value, which is always a good sign. Once again, we’d stick with the best possible versions if you’re aiming for the largest ROI.

1885 Silver Dollar Value Morgan Silver Dollar

They are pricey when compared to other coins, but their incredible rarity in the age of encapsulated coins makes them a good investment.