Silver Dollars Worth Money

The three most widely collected types of silver dollars in today’s market are the Morgan Dollar, Peace Dollar and American Silver Eagle, the modern silver dollar.

Like all coin series, each of these has certain coins that are worth substantially more than the others in their series that are often referred to as key dates.

But an important distinction must be made, especially for series that include a large number of coins such as the Morgan and American Silver Eagle coins. Some dates are worth more in any grade due to their mintages and level of demand in the case of most modern coins whose populations are generally intact with certain exceptions like the $10 First Spouse series that saw considerable melting of some issues.

And for older coins like Morgan dollars estimates of surviving populations, demand and the number of certified examples generally determine what are the series keys. However, there are also what are known as condition rarities such as the 1884-S Morgan Dollar, or coins that are rare mainly in their top grades but necessarily in lower grades such as certain Silver Eagles in MS70.

Morgan Silver Dollar Key Dates

The two main keys to the Morgan series are the 1889-CC, the lowest mintage issue struck at the Carson City Mint, and the 1893-S, the lowest overall mintage coins of the series.

1889-CC Morgan Silver Dollar

PCGS estimates that only about 25,000 of the original mintage of 350,000 of this issue still exist with only 7 coins that grade MS65 or higher.

A Good 4 coin can be had for $500, an XF-40 for $2,500 but an MS62 jumps to $35,000 and MS64 to $100,000, while an MS65 is valued at $350-400,000. Only 2 coins exist above this grade with the top coin being an MS68 that sold for $881,250 in 2013.

1893-S Morgan Silver Dollar

Of an original mintage of 100,000, the 1893-S, just under 10,000 are estimated to still exist in all grades. Those on a budget who want to complete their sets can purchase a Good 4 for $2,250, while an XF40 runs $9,000, an AU-55 $43,500, MS63 jumps to $260,000 and MS65 to $735,000. The one MS67once owned by Jack Lee is estimated by PCGS to be worth $1.2 million today and last sold for $735,000 in 2018.

Peace Dollar Key Dates

Based on their original mintages, the two main key dates in the Peace Dollar series are the 1928 and 1934 coins. But most experts on the series also include the 1921 coin, which though not as low in mintage is a coin that is always in demand and is a must for every collector of the series and every type collector as the one and only high-relief silver dollar.

1928 Peace Dollar

The lowest mintage coin of the series at 360,649, the 1928 is hard to find in nice uncirculated condition especially without toning. A low-grade circulated piece can be had for $165 for a Good 4, while an XF40 runs $260, an MS60 $400 and MS63 $650. But MS65 jumps to $3,000 and the top grade of MS66 is worth $60,000, which shows how much scarcer the coin is at the highest mint state grades in which it exists.

1934-S Peace Dollar

The main series key is 1934-S which despite an original mintage of 1,011,000 coins has fewer examples in mint states than any other issue. A total of 7,141 coins have been graded BU by PCGS with most of those MS64 or lower as only 211 have graded MS65 and 36 MS66. At NGC the population is 76 MS65, 14 MS66 and 1 MS67.

Examples below AU55 are plentiful and not very valuable, while at that grade a coin runs $500. In MS60 it is $2,000, a BU coin around MS62 is about $3,200, MS63 $4,500 and MS65 $10,000. MS66, the highest grade, is worth anywhere from $33,500 to $100,000. In 2019 one of those very scarce MS66 coins sold for over $79,000.

1921 Peace Dollar

About 10% of the original mintage of 1,006,473 coins are estimated to still exist. An AU55 runs $225, but for $285 one can purchase an MS60, $575 for an MS63, or $900 for an MS64 and $2,000 for an MS65. The really scarce examples grade MS66 (about 350 total were graded by NGC and PCGS) worth between $6,500 and $35,000 and the top grade is MS67 that is valued at $140,000 with only 7 coins each graded by NGC and PCGS.

American Silver Eagle Key Dates

Though issued for 34 years so far, there are today 97 different Silver Eagles in a complete set when including all mint state and Proof coins in each of the finishes in which this popular coin has been issued (mint state bullion, burnished, Proof, Reverse Proof, Enhanced Reverse Proof and Enhanced Uncirculated).

There are about a dozen issues that are worth more than most of the others, including some issued only in special sets, the first year of issue (1986) in mint state and Proof and others. But there are six major key date Silver Eagles with mintages below 100,000, which include:

2019-S Enhanced Reverse Proof with 29,910 sold. This coin has maintained its value since it was issued a year ago with raw coins and PF69s selling for about $1,000, and PF70s bringing $1600 and up.

1995-W Proof with 30,125 sold. This coin is currently valued at $3,275 in PF69 and at least $15,000 in PF70 with special labels worth more.

2008-W with Reverse of 2007 burnished coin with 46,318 made but not all of them have been discovered so far. It is worth $450 in MS or SP69 and $1150 in 70.

2020-W V75 privy mark coin with total sales of 74,856. Recent sales of raw and PF69 examples have been in the $600 range, while PF70 coins are more and vary depending on the label.

2011-S mint state coin and 2011-P Reverse Proof – both only sold in the 25th anniversary set with sales of 99,882 each. The 2011-S is worth $160 in MS69 and $335 in MS70, while the 2011-P is valued at $240 in PF or RP69 and $375 in 70.

These coins, especially the first four with mintages of 30,000 to 75,000 are likely to remain the series keys.