The minting of Morgan Silver Dollar first began in 1878, stopping only temporarily in 1904 due to a nation-wide shortage of silver in the U.S. Luckily, the series was able to continue one last time in 1921 because in 1918 after we had won World War I, the Pittman Act was passed, which allowed for our U.S. government to buy and melt hundreds of millions of dollars worth of silver that would be used to create more coins. In order to celebrate our victory in the first World War, the U.S. government decided to create the Peace Silver Dollar, and prior to the Morgan Silver Dollar series was the Seated Liberty Dollar series. The Barber Half Dollar and Walking Liberty Half Dollar coins were minted at the same time as these silver dollars, in that respective order.
Much of George T. Morgan’s success can be attributed to his incredible design of the Morgan Silver Dollar. At the time when he designed the Morgan Dollar, he was an assistant in the U.S. Mint, but shortly after he became the Chief Engraver. On the reverse side of his design is a ferocious American Bald Eagle with 7 tail feathers that is holding arrows in one talon and an olive branch in the other talon. On the obverse side of the coin is Lady Liberty’s face with 13 stars surrounding her image, with each star representing the original 13 colonies. Although surprising, the original model for Lady Liberty was a school teacher by the name of Anna Williams, not any famous individual.
The Morgan Silver Dollar series was minted at five different locations: Philadelphia (P) San Francisco (S), New Orleans (O), Carson City (CC), and Denver (D). The Denver struck Morgan Silver Dollar was a very unique case because 1921 was the only year it was minted.
With a face value of $1, these are made from 90% silver and 10% copper. Weighing 26.73 grams, each one of these coins has a diameter of 38.1 mm. The mintage of the 1885-S Morgan Silver Dollar was 1,497,000, which makes it far rarer than the Philadelphia which has a mintage of 17,787,000. These are just a few of many reasons as to why Morgan Silver Dollars have and always will be beloved by both investors and collectors.
These 1885 San Francisco Morgan Silver Dollars are guaranteed by us to be in stunning brilliant uncirculated condition. It’s a truly incredible accomplishment when you consider that the coin is 135 years old! The United States had once again outdid itself by producing such a beautiful coin. If you are seeking to add one of these jaw-dropping coins to your collection, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Bullion Shark. The 1885-S Morgan Dollar is available for purchase now on our website or over the phone at (516-739-5822) by speaking with one of our numismatic experts. We are currently offering this coin for only $405. Free shipping and handling is included as well! You will save well over a thousand dollars compared to a MS65 specimen that is worth approximately $1,600!
Product Specifications
Coin Type: Morgan Silver Dollar
Date: 1885
Mint: San Francisco
Purity: 90%
Precious Metal Content: .7734 oz pure silver
