LemonTrades
TL;DR
- An 1879 silver dollar is a Morgan dollar, 90% silver, with 0.7734 troy ounces of silver. Its melt value is live below.
- Morgans this old almost always sell above melt, because collectors want them.
- The 1879-CC, from Carson City, is the key: only 756,000 were made, and it’s worth far more than the others.
- LemonTrades follows the silver price for you, with alerts on sharp moves and the likely cause.
The Morgan dollar was just a year old in 1879. Four mints made it.
The four 1879 mints
| Mint | Mark | Made | How scarce |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | None | 14,806,000 | Common |
| San Francisco | S | 9,110,000 | Common; often well struck |
| New Orleans | O | 2,887,000 | Scarcer |
| Carson City | CC | 756,000 | The key date |
The mint mark is on the back, above the “DO” of DOLLAR, below the wreath.
What drives the value
- The CC mint mark: Carson City coins are prized, and 1879-CC especially. Some show a “capped die” variety.
- Condition: sharp, shiny uncirculated coins sell for many times worn ones.
- Varieties: 1879-S coins with a reverse from 1878 sell for more to specialists.
Condition matters most: a worn coin and a sharp, uncirculated one of the same date can differ by ten times or more. Look for wear on the highest points of the design, and never clean a coin you might sell; cleaning cuts its value.
Watch for fakes
Valuable Morgans, especially CC coins, are often counterfeited. A real one weighs 26.73 grams and isn’t magnetic. See is silver magnetic. For a CC coin, get it checked by a grading service.
Selling
To sell, compare offers from two or three coin dealers, or have a valuable coin graded by PCGS or NGC first. Bulk common coins sell close to melt value: see junk silver. Is it real? See is silver magnetic.
More: how much silver is in a Morgan dollar and the 1921 silver dollar.
Sources
Education, not financial advice. Collector values vary with condition and demand; get a valuable coin checked by a reputable dealer or grading service. See our disclaimer.
