Contents:
- 1885 Silver Dollar Design
- 1885 Liberty Silver Dollar Overview
- History Of The Silver Dollar
- 1885 Silver Dollar Mint Varieties
- Dollar Grading
- Grading Tips For Collectors
- 1885 Silver Dollar Value Today
- The 1885 Carson City silver dollar is the most pricy among the bunch, due to its rarity.
- What Makes a 1885 Silver Dollar Rare
- Top Sellers for 1885 Morgan Dollars
- Coin ID Scanner
This silver dollar has it all. Rich history, valuable material and a wide variety. Everything that a collector would want.
How much is a 1885 Silver Dollar worth? The answer to this question, as well as coin grading tips, is here.
Did you know that the Morgan Silver Dollar 1885 had many counterfeits? Free coin identification can help you.
1885 Silver Dollar Design
George T. Morgan is the man behind the 1885 Morgan Silver Dollar design. The engraver used an image of a Philadelphia school teacher for inspiration.
Observe: Lady Liberty’s wearing a Phrygian hat. Her image is surrounded by thirteen stars representing the original colonies. Inscriptions “E PLURIBUS UNUM” are above her head. The date is at the bottom (1885).
Reverse: An eagle with its wings spread. The inscription “IN GOD WE TRUST” rises between its wings. Below is a wreath housing mintmarks (O, S, D, and CC). The words “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” arch the part above. On the opposite, below, are the words “ONE DOLLAR”.
The designer left his initials on both sides. His “M” appears on the ribbon’s left loop and at the lower part of Liberty’s neck.
1885 Liberty Silver Dollar Overview
The main characteristics of the Silver Dollar 1885 | |
Country | United States |
Years of Minting | 1878-1921 |
Type: | Standard circulation |
Edge | Reeded |
Shape: | Round |
Composition and metal content | 90% Silver, 10% Copper |
Diameter | 38.1 mm |
Weight | 26.73 grams |
The Mints | The Philadelphia Mint, The New Orleans Mint, The San Francisco Mint, The Carson City Mint |
Fun fact: Not everyone was a fan of the eagle’s design. Some individuals deemed it too scrawny. That is how the Silver piece got the nickname “Buzzard Dollar.” Poor bird.
History Of The Silver Dollar
To support silver mining, Congress passed the Bland-Allison Act of 1878, which required the U.S. Treasury to buy large amounts of silver and coin it into dollars.
The Treasury held a design contest for a new 1878 Silver Dollar.
George T. Morgan, an English engraver who worked for the U.S. Mint, won. His design was chosen over existing designs to represent a more modern, Americanized Liberty.
George Morgan wins the design competition, and his work is used for the engraving.
In 1904, silver supplies mandated by the Bland-Allison Act ran out, and production halted.
2021 saw a revived mintage for a 100th anniversary tribute.
1885 Silver Dollar Mint Varieties
Four major Mint facilities took part in this dollar’s minting.
Philadelphia (no mint mark) variety. Also sometimes called the 1885 P Morgan Silver Dollar.
San Francisco (S) marks variety.
New Orleans (O) marks variety.
Carson City (CC) marks variety.
Mint mark signifies the exact place of minting. 1885 Silver Dollar worth depends on the mint mark, as they have different rarities.
Where is the mint mark on a 1885 Silver Dollar? Turn to the reverse side, under the wreath.
1885 Silver Dollar No Mint Mark Value
Look for: A blank space under the wreath (reverse).
Mintage: 17,786,837.
Price: $42.50-$63 range. 1885 silver dollar value no mint mark is above average.
1885 S Morgan Silver Dollar Value
Look for: An “S” mark under the wreath (reverse).
Mintage: 1,497,000.
Price: $44.50-$200 range. More valuable than the Philadelphia release due to lower mintage.
1885 O Morgan Silver Dollar Value
Look for: An “S” mark under the wreath (reverse).
Mintage: 9,185,000.
Price: $42.50-$63 range. 1885-O Morgan Silver Dollar value is on par with the no-mark variant.
1885-O Morgan Silver Dollar came only earlier. The original releases in 1878 had no O-marks.
1885 CC Morgan Silver Dollar Value
Look for: A little “СС” mark under the wreath (reverse).
Mintage: 228,000.
Price: $440-$735 range. The 1885-CC Morgan Silver Dollar is extremely valuable and rare!
Dollar Grading
Dollar grading helps to determine the value of a piece. Lustrous and defined pieces offer the highest value of the 1885 Silver Dollar.
Grade | Definition | Visual Characteristics |
G-4 | Good | Only the outline of Liberty is left, flat details, rims merged or faint. |
VG-8 | Very Good | More rim definition, facial outline clearer, minimal interior details. |
F-12 | Fine | Some hairlines are visible, LIBERTY is partially readable. |
VF-20 | Very Fine | Liberty’s hair and cap are more defined, eagle feathers lightly worn. |
EF-40 | Extremely Fine | Nearly full hair detail, feather lines on eagle partly visible. |
AU-50 | About Uncirculated | Slight wear on cheek, high points of feathers; mostly mint luster remains. |
AU-58 | Choice About Uncirculated | Nearly full luster, very light rub on highest points; eye appeal close to Mint State. |
MS-60 | Mint State – Baseline | No wear, but may have bag marks, dull luster. |
MS-63 | Choice Mint State | Good strike and luster with minimal contact marks. |
MS-65 | Mint State | Sharp strike, bright luster, few marks visible only under magnification. |
MS-67 | Superb Mint State | Nearly flawless, brilliant luster, exceptional strike and surface. |
Grading Tips For Collectors
Some tips to help you if you want to grade your piece yourself:
1. Use proper lighting.
Use white light (like an LED desk lamp).
Avoid overhead yellow bulbs—can distort luster or make wear harder to spot.
2. Use a loupe or magnifying glass.
A 5x–10x loupe would be enough.
Look for bag marks, scratches, and fine detail on the high points.
3. Know the Wear Zones. For Morgan coinage, pay close attention to:
Observe: Cheek of Liberty, her headband and hair.
Reverse: Eagle’s breast and leg feathers, talons and feathers.
4. Look for luster.
Luster appears when you rotate the piece under light.
Luster is one of the best signs to distinguish AU-58 from MS-60+
5. No cleaning!
Cleaned coins often look unnaturally shiny and have hairline scratches.
Cleaned coins lose value, even if they appear “bright.”
6. Compare with Graded Coins
Look at photos from PCGS, NGC, or Heritage Auctions for accurate examples.
Side-by-side comparison with a known MS63 vs. MS65 helps train your eye.
Keep a grading notebook to log your observations and learning.
7. Learn from the experts.
Read the Official ANA Grading Standards.
Watch YouTube grading tutorials by professionals.
Visit coin shows to see professionally graded coins in person.
8. When in doubt, submit it.
If the piece seems high-end or unusual, submit it to PCGS or NGC.
Numismatic forums are always there!
1885 Silver Dollar Value Today
Variety | G-4 | VG-8 | F-12 | VF-20 | EF-40 | AU-50 | MS-60 | MS-65 | Proof |
P-mark | $52 | $58 | $64 | $67 | $71 | $75 | $87 | $277 | $4,635 |
O-mark | $52 | $58 | $64 | $67 | $71 | $75 | $87 | $277 | - |
S-mark | $52 | $58 | $64 | $71 | $106 | $176 | $387 | $2,485 | - |
CC-mark | $537 | $565 | $621 | $674 | $728 | $762 | $797 | $1,521 | - |
Hopefully, this table helped you with your question.
The 1885 Carson City silver dollar is the most pricy among the bunch, due to its rarity.
1885 0 Morgan silver dollar value is similar to the P variant.
What Makes a 1885 Silver Dollar Rare
A rare coin is a valuable coin. These factors make a piece less common:
1885-CC (Carson City) Mark. It had a smaller mintage, therefore, it’s rarer.
High-grade coins from other mints (S, P, O releases). Mint states are extremely uncommon.
Proof variants. Proof pieces were made specifically for collectors and important people as gifts. They are not only low in mintage, but also high in quality.
Top Sellers for 1885 Morgan Dollars
Here are the most legendary 1886 pieces ever sold at auctions. All are rare and high-grade.
Name | Price | Auction House and the date | Remarks |
1885-CC Morgan Dollar – MS68+ | $135,125 | Legend Rare Coin Auctions, 2015. | This coin is considered the finest known example from the Carson City Mint. It shows a near-flawless surface and exceptional eye appeal. |
1885 Morgan Dollar (Philadelphia) – MS68+ | $39,950 | Legend Rare Coin Auctions, 2015. | Graded MS68+ with a CAC endorsement. The bit features vibrant rainbow toning and is the sole example at this grade level. |
1885 Morgan Dollar – Proof PR66 Cameo | $101,625 | Heritage Auctions, 2013. | This proof piece set a record for proof 1885 Morgan coinage. It is distinguished by its cameo contrast and pristine condition. |
1885-S Morgan Dollar – MS67+ | $38,400 | Heritage Auctions, 2014. | A top-quality piece from San Francisco Mint. |
1885-O Morgan Dollar – MS66+ | $19,387.50 | Legend Rare Coin Auctions, 2017. | For its exceptional rainbow toning, the coin earned the nickname "WOW" coin among collectors. |
While it’s unlikely that your collectible is just as pricey, it still holds value. Material or spiritual.
If you have any other coins in your collection and want to identify them, here’s an app for you.
Coin ID Scanner
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Managing your coin collection has never been easier. The App saves photos and details of each coin in the app, and the customizable notifications keep you updated on market values.
Chat with the AI assistant for advice.
It’s free!
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