Top 100 Most Valuable Morgan Silver Dollar Coins Worth Money List

The Morgan dollar series, struck from 1878 to 1921 across five U.S. Mints, represents one of American numismatics’ most collected and studied coinages.

While millions entered circulation during their era, locating premium Mint State survivors proves extraordinarily challenging. Most Morgan dollars suffered immediate circulation wear, government melting under the 1918 Pittman Act, or damage from bulk storage in Treasury bags.

The coins featured here—ranging from $17,250 to $881,250 at auction—represent the absolute pinnacle of Morgan dollar preservation and rarity. These specimens combine multiple desirable attributes: exceptional technical grades (MS65 through MS69), sharp strikes from fresh dies, pristine surfaces free from typical bag marks, and often stunning original toning.

Each entry showcases why certain dates command premium prices despite seemingly large mintages, revealing how production quality, historical distribution patterns, and survival rates create modern scarcity. For collectors pursuing condition rarities in the Morgan series, these 100 coins define the ultimate achievements.

The Most Valuable Morgan Dollars Worth Money

1. 1889-CC Morgan Dollar

Record Price: $881,250 (PCGS MS68, Stack’s Bowers Auction, 2013)

This 1889-CC Morgan dollar certified MS68 by PCGS stands as the undisputed finest example from the most coveted date in the Carson City series. From a modest mintage of 350,000 coins, survivors remain exceptionally scarce due to the coin’s unique history.

Unlike most Carson City issues that remained in Treasury vaults for decades, the 1889-CC immediately entered circulation after the mint reopened in October 1889 following a four-year hiatus, and many coins were later melted under the 1918 Pittman Act.

The coin displays champagne-gold toning mingling with mint brilliance, complemented by royal blue, crimson, and deep gold highlights at the rims and devices, all on surfaces free from distracting marks even under magnification.

Its provenance traces through legendary collections: John G. Mills (1904), J.M. Clapp, and Louis E. Eliasberg Sr., who held it for 55 years before the landmark 1997 Bowers and Merena sale where it realized $462,000.

The $881,250 result in July 2013 established it as the auction record holder for the date, reflecting its singular status as the finest 1889-CC Morgan dollar that collectors can aspire to own.

Check 1889 Morgan Dollar History, Variety Price Chart & Errors List

 

2. 1886-O DMPL Morgan Dollar

Record Price: $780,000 (PCGS MS67 DMPL, Stack’s Bowers Auction, 2020)

This 1886-O Morgan dollar, graded MS67 DMPL by PCGS with CAC approval, stands among the finest examples of New Orleans Mint coinage.

Despite a substantial mintage of 10.71 million coins, the 1886-O is known for poor strike quality and heavy bag marks, making premium specimens extraordinarily difficult to locate. Most entered circulation immediately, with only scattered bags reaching the market during the 1940s-1960s.

The Deep Mirror Prooflike designation requires deeply reflective, mirror-like fields paired with heavily frosted devices—a combination exceptionally rare for this issue.

Described by numismatist Wayne Miller as “the most spectacular Morgan dollar now known,” the piece served as the plate coin in his authoritative 1982 Morgan and Peace Dollar Textbook.

When offered in the November 1990 Chris Schenkel Collection sale, it achieved $231,000. The $780,000 result in November 2020 reflects three decades of appreciation and confirms its status as an exceptional example for collectors pursuing high-grade New Orleans Morgan dollars.

Check 1886 Morgan Dollar History, Variety Price Chart & Errors List

 

3. 1884-S Morgan Dollar

Record Price: $750,000 (PCGS MS68, Stack’s Bowers Auction, 2020)

This 1884-S Morgan dollar certified MS68 by PCGS occupies an unmatched position in San Francisco Mint numismatics.

Described by numismatic expert Wayne Miller as a “wonder” coin, this specimen features highly lustrous surfaces with a softly frosted finish enhanced by wisps of iridescent gold toning. The razor-sharp striking detail across all design elements indicates production from fresh dies in their earliest state.

Many 1884-S dollars suffer from weak strikes and steel-gray luster, relegating them to “slider” status despite technical mint state grades. This MS68 specimen defies those characteristics entirely, standing alone with PCGS Population showing 1 coin certified with 0 finer.

First surfacing at a Midwest coin show in the 1980s, it passed through the legendary collections of David Hall, George Bodway, and Jack Lee before joining the Larry H. Miller Collection.

The $750,000 result in November 2020 reflects its exceptional quality and storied provenance. This coin defines the ultimate San Francisco Morgan dollar, combining technical perfection with pristine preservation unmatched by any other 1884-S example known to exist.

Check 1884 Morgan Dollar History, Variety Price Chart & Errors List

 

4. 1893-S Morgan Dollar

Record Price: $735,000 (PCGS MS65, Sotheby’s Auction, 2018)

This 1893-S Morgan dollar, graded MS65 by PCGS, comes from the lowest mintage business strike in the Morgan series—only 100,000 coins produced at the San Francisco Mint. The issue suffered significant attrition through government meltings under the 1918 Pittman Act and extensive circulation throughout the Western states during the 1890s.

This example exhibits sharp striking detail throughout: Liberty’s hair above her ear shows crisp delineation, the eagle’s breast feathers display full definition, and the beading maintains complete distinctness.

Fresh die characteristics remain visible under magnification, including the mint engraver’s original die polish striae. Both obverse and reverse fields prove virtually unblemished apart from faint lines before Liberty’s profile.

Thin die cracks—one running from UNUM through three obverse stars, another extending from STATES to AMERICA—add diagnostic authenticity. The coin presents a satiny cream tone with delicate golden halos at peripheries and subtle blue clouds in the fields.

High-grade examples are exceptionally scarce, with most known specimens grading Very Fine or lower. The $735,000 result in May 2018 reflects strong collector demand for this key date in superior preservation. For Morgan dollar specialists building complete date sets, the 1893-S in MS65 condition represents a significant acquisition challenge.

 

5. 1901 Morgan Dollar

Record Price: $720,000 (PCGS MS66, Stack’s Bowers Auction, 2025)

Stack’s Bowers’ August 2025 sale brought $720,000 for this PCGS MS66 1901 Morgan dollar, setting a new benchmark for Philadelphia Mint Morgan dollars.

Despite a production run approaching 7 million pieces, the 1901 stands as the rarest Philadelphia circulation strike in uncirculated condition.

Dealers’ Mint State listings from mid-20th century likely described coins that today’s standards would classify as About Uncirculated. Survivors typically languish at MS-60 to MS-63, plagued by inadequate strikes, dull surfaces, and excessive contact marks.

This piece breaks every convention. Crisp details define Liberty’s hair above the ear and the eagle’s breast feathers, while brilliant satiny luster and unmarked surfaces demonstrate exceptional preservation. The coin’s journey through the Jack Lee Collection into The Illinois Set underscores its significance.

Collectors seeking premium Philadelphia Morgan dollars rarely encounter properly struck MS-64 examples, rendering this finest-certified specimen an exceptional opportunity that may not surface again for decades.

Check 1901 Morgan Dollar History, Variety Price Chart & Errors List

 

6. 1896-S Morgan Dollar

Record Price: $720,000 (PCGS MS69, Stack’s Bowers Auction, 2020)

This 1896-S Morgan Silver Dollar stands as one of the most extraordinary rarities in American numismatics. Graded MS-69 by PCGS with CAC approval, it sold for $720,000 in November 2020, establishing an auction record for this coin.

The 1896-S issue itself is particularly challenging. Despite a mintage of 5 million coins, most remained undistributed and were likely melted under the 1918 Pittman Act. Mint State examples are quite elusive, with typical survivors grading MS-62 to MS-64 and showing moderate to heavy abrasions.

This coin’s virtually pristine surfaces and intense mint luster suggest it was preserved with extraordinary care since 1896. Its remarkable provenance traces through legendary collectors including David Hall, the PCGS founder, George Bodway, and the Jack Lee collections, making it both a numismatic treasure and a piece of collecting history.

Check 1896 Morgan Dollar History, Variety Price Chart & Errors List

 

7. 1892-S Morgan Dollar

Record Price: $630,000 (PCGS MS68, Stack’s Bowers Auction, 2020)

The 1892-S Morgan Silver Dollar graded MS-68 by PCGS achieved $630,000 at auction in November 2020, marking it as the finest certified example of this challenging issue. With a mintage of 1.2 million pieces, the 1892-S displays an unusual pattern in numismatics.

While abundant in circulated condition, Mint State survivors are exceptionally scarce because most coins entered commercial channels shortly after production. Early numismatists undervalued this date, believing substantial quantities remained in government storage. When San Francisco Mint distributions during the 1940s through 1960s yielded no 1892-S bags, collectors finally recognized its true scarcity in uncirculated grades.

The advent of third-party certification in the mid-1980s brought further clarity, helping distinguish genuine Mint State examples from cleverly toned About Uncirculated pieces that had previously clouded the market.

This MS-68 specimen showcases brilliant luster with champagne-gold iridescence and sharp striking detail throughout. Previously part of the legendary Jack Lee collections before joining the Larry H. Miller cabinet, it had sold for $322,000 in 2005, nearly doubling in value over fifteen years. For collectors pursuing condition rarities, this coin exemplifies museum-quality preservation rarely encountered in the Morgan dollar series.

Check 1892 Morgan Dollar History, Variety Price Chart & Errors List

 

8. 1901 Morgan Dollar

Record Price: $587,500 (PCGS MS66, Legend Rare Coin Auctions, 2015)

At $587,500, this PCGS MS66 1901 Morgan dollar led Legend Rare Coin Auctions’ October 2015 Regency XIV sale—a fitting result for what the Coronet Collector paid $575,000 to acquire five years earlier.

Most 1901 Philadelphia dollars disappoint with their execution: dull surfaces, inadequate detail, and pervasive contact marks define the typical survivor.

This piece contradicts every expectation. Intense luster flows across satiny fields, while Liberty’s features and surrounding elements exhibit the frosty sharpness normally associated with New Orleans Mint production rather than Philadelphia’s typically inferior 1901 output.

With availability above MS64 measured in single digits and most Mint State examples struggling to reach MS62, even identifying a decently struck 1901 Philadelphia dollar requires patience and resources.

This coin’s technical qualities combined with its illustrious ownership history establish it as one of the silent keys in Morgan dollar collecting—a rarity overshadowed by more publicized dates yet equally formidable to obtain.

Check 1901 Morgan Dollar History, Variety Price Chart & Errors List

 

9. 1895-O Morgan Dollar

Record Price: $575,000 (PCGS MS67, Heritage Auctions, 2005)

This 1895-O Morgan Silver Dollar, graded MS67 by PCGS, achieved $575,000 at Heritage Auctions in November 2005. As the only MS67-graded specimen and the finest certified example of the 1895-O, it holds unmatched status among collectors of this challenging issue.

The 1895-O’s extreme scarcity in Mint State stems from the New Orleans Mint’s poor production standards during this era. Coiners deliberately spaced dies too far apart to minimize wear and breakage, resulting in weakly struck coins with unattractive surfaces.

While many 1895-O dollars have been certified overall, only a tiny fraction qualify as Mint State—a dramatic contrast to comparable dates that have far more uncirculated survivors.

Most surviving 1895-O dollars exhibit soft strikes and lackluster surfaces, rarely reaching gem quality. Finding even a properly struck high-grade example proves challenging, making this MS67 specimen truly exceptional.

 

10. 1896-O Morgan Dollar

Record Price: $528,000 (PCGS MS66, Stack’s Bowers Auction, 2020)

Certified MS-66 by PCGS with CAC approval, this 1896-O Morgan Silver Dollar realized $528,000 at Stack’s Bowers’ November 2020 auction. With only two coins graded at this level and none finer, it ties for finest certified and is the sole CAC-approved MS-66 example known.

Despite a substantial mintage approaching five million pieces, the 1896-O presents a formidable challenge at premium quality levels. Treasury releases during the 1950s and early 1960s brought only limited quantities to market, and nearly all exhibited heavy bag marks that confine them to MS-60 through MS-62 grades.

The New Orleans Mint’s production methods during this period yielded characteristically weak strikes, with flattened details across Liberty’s hair and the eagle’s breast feathers being the norm rather than the exception.

This coin defies those typical shortcomings. Bold striking definition appears throughout the design elements, complemented by frosty luster and brilliant surfaces with minimal champagne toning.

For advanced Morgan dollar specialists, locating a properly struck 1896-O at the MS-64 level already proves difficult, making this premium MS-66 specimen a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

Check 1896 Morgan Dollar History, Variety Price Chart & Errors List

 

Summary: most valuable Morgan silver dollars

We hope you’ve enjoyed our look at the most valuable Morgan silver dollars ever sold at auction. These rare coins have certainly got bidders hot under the collar!

The key to a coin’s condition is its rarity and quality – but there are some fakes out there. So if you’re considering spending serious money on a Morgan silver dollar, look for one that’s been independently certified. That will give you the confidence that you’re getting what you’re paying for.