1879 Morgan Dollar Value
The 1879 Morgan Dollar carries a current retail range of about $29.00 to $282 across circulated and Mint State grades, and its metal content alone is worth $28.23 as of 2026-06-01 See the grade table below for exactly where your coin falls.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1879 Morgan Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $28.23 |
| Good (G-4) | $29.00 to $38.00 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $29.00 to $39.50 |
| Fine (F-12) | $29.00 to $41.50 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $30.50 to $45.00 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $35.00 to $51.00 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $42.00 to $62.00 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $53.00 to $77.50 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $72.00 to $106 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $192 to $282 |
Estimated retail range, updated 2026-06-15. Estimates are modeled from mintage rarity and metal content, not auction records. Actual sale prices vary with certification, eye appeal and market timing.
What is the 1879 Morgan Dollar selling for today?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1879 Morgan Dollar starts around $29.00. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $282. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1879 Morgan Dollar specifications
- Series
- Morgan Dollar
- Year
- 1879
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- 14,806,000
- Composition
- 90% silver, 10% copper
- Weight
- 26.73 g
- Diameter
- 38.1 mm
- Edge
- Reeded
- Designer
- George T. Morgan
- Silver content
- 0.77344 troy oz
Mintage figure: US Mint reports (approximate).
No mint mark? Here is why
No mint mark is the mark here: the 1879 Morgan Dollar comes from the main Philadelphia Mint, which left its coins unlettered in this era. The position where branch mints placed their letter (On the reverse, just below the wreath bow and above the letters DO in DOLLAR) is simply blank.
What makes the 1879 Morgan Dollar valuable
Every 1879 Morgan Dollar contains 0.7734 troy ounces of pure silver, currently worth $28.23. That intrinsic value is a hard floor under the price: no matter how worn the coin, the silver inside cannot be graded away.
With 14,806,000 struck, the 1879 Morgan Dollar is one of the more available dates of its series. Its value rests on metal content and condition rather than absolute rarity, which makes it an ideal type coin.
Context adds the final layer to the 1879 Morgan Dollar. The Pittman Act of 1918 melted over 270 million pieces, reshaping the rarity of several dates overnight. Owning this date means owning a piece of that story, and demand for the series as a whole sustains liquidity for every issue in it.
1879 Morgan Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
******* E. PLURIBUS. UNUM ****** 1879
Liberty, head l., wreathed and capped
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA/* ONE DOLLAR *
eagle standing. on arrows and laurel sprig., within wreath. motto above
Measured 1879 Morgan Dollar specimens
10 physically measured 1879 Morgan Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 26.73 g, 38.1 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1879 Morgan Dollar #1 | 26.744 g | 38 mm | 6 h | Breen.5527 |
| 1879 Morgan Dollar #2 | - | - | - | Breen.5526 |
| 1879 Morgan Dollar #3 | - | - | - | Breen.5531 |
| 1879 Morgan Dollar #4 | - | - | - | Breen.5529 |
| 1879 Morgan Dollar #5 | - | - | - | Breen.5532 |
| 1879 Morgan Dollar #6 | - | - | - | Breen.5526 |
| 1879 Morgan Dollar #7 | - | - | - | Breen.5526 |
| 1879 Morgan Dollar #8 | - | - | - | Breen.5528, VAM.3 |
| 1879 Morgan Dollar #9 | - | 38 mm | - | Breen.5526 |
| 1879 Morgan Dollar #10 | - | - | - | Krause.1084, Breen.5531 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1879 Morgan Dollar is valued between $29.00 and $282 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.