1889 Morgan Silver Dollar
George T. Morgan, corner designer
The 1889 Morgan Silver Dollar was one of many silver dollars designed by George T. Morgan and minted in the United States between 1878 and 1904. Morgan began his minting career as an assistant engraver and worked his way up to Chief Engraver. . His excellent design skills kept him as chief engraver for eight years. Although his name is famous for many American coins, he is best known for the Morgan dollar.
Morgan Silver Dollars
Morgan silver dollars have become very popular with coin collectors and are still highly sought after today. They are very sturdy and have been kept for many years as investments and collector’s items. Its durability is the result of the large amount of silver that goes into each coin, more than 24 grams per coin. The Morgan dollar is worth much more than its original value due to the high silver content. The content of the 1889 Morgan dollar is .900 silver and .100 copper with a total weight of 26.73 grams.
The entire collection of Morgan dollars was minted at five city mints: Carson City, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Denver, and San Francisco. The mint mark can be found on the back of the corner just below the eagle’s tail feathers. Each mint mark designated in which city the dollar was minted. For example, “CC was for Carson City, O for New Orleans, D for Denver, etc.” Although all Morgan dollars are worth more than face value, the 1889 Morgan Silver Dollar has the highest value and is the most sought after coin of the entire Morgan dollar series. This is due in part to its connection to the west. Carson City had the lowest mintage, so Carson City coins had the highest value. The Morgan Silver Dollar is widely enjoyed and sought after due to its Western heritage and explicit historical design. The silver used in its design was from the Comstock Lode, which reminded people of one of the great “silver strikes” in history.
Morgan Silver Dollar Design
The front of the 1889 Morgan Silver Dollar has Lady Liberty facing left. Circling around it is the coin’s date (at the bottom), the words “E Pluribus Unum” above it, and the thirteen stars on both sides. Lady Liberty’s design is actually the result of Morgan’s sketch of Anna Willess Williams, a Philadelphia school teacher. When “E Pluribus Unum” was first chosen, it meant “Out of many, one”. The reverse of the 1889 Morgan silver dollar features a bald eagle sitting on a combination of branches and arrows with wings outstretched. A crown surrounds part of the eagle and the words “In God We Trust” are just above his head. The rim of the 1889 Morgan Silver Dollar has “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” at the top and “ONE DOLLAR” at the bottom, with a star separating the two phrases. The bald eagle was not an instant hit with the public when it first came out, but they grew to love this symbol.