1879 Morgan Dollar Value (“CC,” “O”, “S” Mint Marks & Errors) 

If you’re an avid coin collector, DO NOT MISS the iconic 1879 Morgan Silver Dollar; it can be worth $50,000, just like the one recently sold on Heritage Auctions! As the second coin in the esteemed Morgan Dollar series, this coin holds a special place in American coinage history.

In this guide, I will delve into the key features of the 1879 Morgan Dollar, exploring the significance of its mint marks and errors that can transform this coin into a highly sought-after treasure. Additionally, you will find expert tips to discern genuine coins from fakes!

History of the Morgan Silver Dollar

The Morgan Silver Dollar was first minted in 1878 following the passage of the Bland-Allison Act that forced the US treasury to buy $2 million to $4 million worth of silver each month and circulate them as coins. 

The 1879 issue was the second year of production for this American dollar coin. Morgan Dollars were produced at different mints and circulated across the States until 1921 when they were finally replaced by the Peace Dollars, featuring new Liberty and Eagle designs.

1879 Morgan Silver Dollar Key Facts
Material CompositionSilver (90%) & Copper (10%)
Minting LocationPhiladelphia, Carson City, New Orleans, & San Francisco
Year of Minting1879
Face Value$1.00
Weight26.730g
Actual Silver Weight (ASW)0.7734 oz
Diameter38.1mm
Thickness2.4mm
DesignerGeorge T. Morgan
Mint Marks‘CC’ for Carson City, ‘O’ for New Orleans & ‘S’ for San Francisco on the coin’s reverse
Total Mintage27,559,000 coins

How to Spot an 1879 Morgan Dollar (Design & Composition)

Designed by George T. Morgan, the 1879 Morgan Silver Dollar has unique features on its front and back sides that will help you easily identify this rare coin from a huge lot!

1879 Dollar Obverse (Heads):

  • The left-profile Lady Liberty, wearing a Phrygian cap & flowing hair 
  • The mint date “1879” below the cameo or the truncation line
  • Flowers arranged on lady’s cap
  • The word “LIBERTY” on the cap’s front
  • 13 stars (representing the thirteen US states) along the lower half edge
  • The words “E PLURIBUS UNUM” (meaning ‘Out of Many, One’) along the upper-half edge

1879 Dollar Reverse (Tails):

1879 Morgan Dollar Reverse
  • A left-looking bald eagle with spread-out wings 
  • A group of arrows in the eagle’s left claw and an olive branch in the right
  • The words “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” along the upper edge
  • The words “One Dollar” below the eagle
  • The words “IN GOD WE TRUST’ above the eagle’s motif
  • A typical, raised circular laurel vine design around the eagle
  • The mint mark (if any) below the olive branch knot

Coin Composition & Dimensions: 

The 1879 Morgan Silver Dollar is composed of 90% silver and 10% copper, adhering to the standard set by the Coinage Act of 1837. This composition gives the coin a total weight of 26.73 grams, with a pure silver content of 0.7734 troy ounces. 

Besides, the diameter of the 1879 Morgan Dollar coin is 38.1 mm. It has a thickness of around 2.4 mm and has a well-defined reeded edge that sets it apart.

Finding the Value of the 1879 Silver Dollar (4 Key Factors)

Being a rare antique coin, the 1879 Morgan Dollar is highly valuable, worth up to $20,000 – $50,000 with high mint-state grades or rare mint errors. Let’s see what factors generally affect your 1879 dollar’s real value:

1. Mintage & Mint Marks

The number of coins minted in a specific year plays a vital role in determining its value as it reflects the scarcity of that coin in the market! The total mintage of the 1879 Morgan Silver Dollar struck at different locations is 27,559,000. 

1879 Dollar StrikesTotal Mintage
1879-p Morgan Silver Dollar (no mint mark)14,806,000
1879-s Morgan Silver Dollar9,110,000
1879-o Morgan Silver Dollar2,887,000
1879-cc Morgan Silver Dollar756,000
  • 1879-CC Morgan Dollar (Carson City Mint): The 1879 $1 coins minted in Carson City Mint bear a ‘cc’ mint mark under the arrows on the reverse. Rarest of all 1879 dollar coins, this coin is worth $3,000 – $5,000 in low mint-state grades and $20,000 – $65,000 in high grades. The record price of an 1879-cc $1 coin is $192,000 on Heritage Auctions
Screenshot 2024 07 11 191935
Source: eBay – Johnkov88
  • 1879-O Morgan Silver Dollar (New Orleans Mint): The New Orleans Mint produced about 2,887,000 1879 Morgan Dollars. You can identify them by a crude ‘O’ mint mark on the tails. This dollar coin can easily sell for $1,000 – $3,000+ in average mint grades, like MS65. 
  • 1879-S Morgan Silver Dollar (San Francisco Mint): The 9,110,000 Silver Dollars struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1879 has a small-case ‘s’ mint mark on the reverse. Due to its high mintage, an 1879-S dollar generally sells for $700 – $1,500 in high mint grades, like MS67.
  • 1879 Morgan Silver Dollar (Philadelphia Mint): The highest number of 1879 Morgan Dollars, which is 14,806,000, were produced at the Philadelphia Mint. These coins have no mint mark and generally sell for $500 – $1,000 in average mint grades, like MS65 & MS65+. 

2. Coin Grade & Condition

The value of an 1879 Morgan Dollar largely depends on its condition. In excellent new-like condition, known as mint state, this coin can sell for $3,000 to $10,000 or even more. On the other hand, it will be worth way less with visible damage, flattened relief design, and blunt edges. 

1879 Morgan Dollar

While the coin’s condition can be analyzed manually, collectors prefer coins graded by professional coin grading companies, such as PCGS, NGC, and ANACS. 

You can use the following price chart to assess the average value of your 1879 Morgan Dollar based on coin grades.

Coin Grading1879-p Silver Dollar1879-s Silver Dollar1879-o Silver Dollar1879-cc Silver Dollar
Poor (0) to Extremely Fine (XF45)Below $50$1 – $40Below $10 – $20$100 – $2,000
Almost Uncirculated (AU50) to Mint State (MS60)$10 – $50$10 – $50$30 – $150$2,000 – $5,500+
Mint State (MS60 – MS66+)$50 – $3,500$50 – $600$100 – $25,000$3,000 – $55,000+
Mint State (MS67+ onwards)$5,000 – $30,000$700 – $30,00+N/A$60,000+

3. Rare Mint Errors in 1879 Morgan Dollar

The 1879 Morgan Silver Dollar, like many coins of its era, bears a few valuable minting errors and VAMs that impact its rarity and, hence, monetary value. Here are some notable coin errors to look for:

1879-CC $1 Capped Die Error (Carson City Mint)

This extremely valuable VAM error happened in the Carson City Mint; thus, it is only found on the 1879-cc $1 coins. It occurs when a coin gets stuck in the striking chamber (die) and is struck repeatedly without being ejected, resulting in the coin becoming capped with metal.

You can identify this error with a flattened and distorted area on the coin’s surface, often resembling a cap or dome. A mint-state 1879 $1 coin (MS60 – MS65+) with a Capped Die error has a high value of $3,000 – $49,000! One example with the highest grade, MS65+, auctioned for a mind-boggling price of $50,000 on Legend Rare Coin Auctions.

Screenshot 2024 07 12 131407
Source: eBay – CoinGiants

Broadstruck Out of Collar

This error happens when a coin is struck without the collar that normally holds the planchet (blank coin) in place, resulting in metal expanding outward. One of these rare 1879 $1 Broadstruck Out of Collar examples sold for over $400 on Heritage Auctions.

Reverse of 1878 Dollar

As the name suggests, this 1879 dollar error variety features the earlier reverse design used in 1878. It’s considered scarce and can sell for an exceptional price of $500-$2,000+ in uncirculated or low mint grades and $15,000 – $50,000 in high mint state grades.

Screenshot 2024 07 12 112857
Source: eBay – Rinkor Rare Coins, LLC

One such 1879 MS66 $1 Reverse of 1878 Dollar sold for a mindblowing price of $63,250 on Heritage Auctions.

Passed Thru Upsetting Mill

This error occurs when the silver dollar coin planchet is passed through the upsetting mill (the minting machine that raises the rim of a coin blank before it’s struck) more than once, giving it irregular or multiple raised rims.

Being a rare error, an 1879 $1 Passed Thru Upsetting Mill coin can be extremely valuable. I found one example in MS61 grade that sold for a record price of $8,225 on Heritage Auctions.

4. 1879 Morgan Dollar Proof & Proof-like Varieties

The Philadelphia Mint produced 1,100 proof 1879 Morgan Dollars. These coins have a mirror-like finish, while the raised design (like the portrait of Liberty and the eagle on the reverse) has a frosted appearance, creating a cameo effect. 

Depending on the depth and contrast of the cameo, there are three types of 1879 $1 proof coins have been discovered: 

  • 1879 $1 (Proof): The standard Proof coin is the typical proof strike without significant cameo or deep cameo contrast. 
  • 1879 $1, CAM (Proof): An 1879 $1 Cameo proof coin has a stronger contrast between the mirrored fields and frosted devices than the regular proof coin, 
  • 1879 $1, DCAM (Proof): This proof variety features the highest contrast between mirrored fields and frosted devices, making them extremely rare and valuable.

Among the three proof varieties, the 1879 $1 Deep Cameo proofs in high grades (e.g., PR66 to PR68) command premium prices. For example, a PR66 grade 1879 $1 DCAM sold for a whopping price of $21,000, while the Cameo proof sold for $10,575, and the regular proof only sold for $5,768 in the same PR grade. 

Apart from standard proof coins, some 1879 Morgan Dollars are found with reflective surfaces, known as “proof-like coins.” An even smaller number have mirror-like surfaces with deep cameo frosting, known as DMPL (Deep Mirror Proof-Like) Morgan Dollars.

Screenshot 2024 07 12 140959
Source: eBay – Libertas Coins and Collectibles

4 Expert Tips to Identify an 1879 Silver Dollar Counterfeit

Before you finally sell or buy your 1879 dollar, make sure it’s an AUTHENTIC coin and not a counterfeit. Here are detailed steps to help you identify a fake 1879 Morgan Silver Dollar:

  • Check the Silver Weight: Due to its 90% silver and 10% copper composition, a real 1879 dollar has an accurate weight of 26.730g, with the actual silver weight of 0.7734 oz. If a coin weighs less, it’s likely a fake.
  • Inspect the Reeded Edge: Authentic Morgan Silver Dollars have a reeded edge with tiny vertical lines. A fake 1879 dollar may have less defined reading or entirely smooth edges.
  • Check the Magnetism: Some 1879 counterfeits may have non-precious metals in their composition. So, use a strong magnet to see if the coin attracts. If it reacts, your 1879 dollar is not silver.
  • Verify the Mint Marks & Date Placement: The real 1879 silver dollar has the mint mark on the reverse below the eagle and the mint date on the obverse below the cameo. Fake 1879 dollars may have mint marks and dates in the wrong place or incorrect fonts.

If any of these steps are negative, you’re holding a fake 1879 Morgan Dollar.


As we saw above, the 1879 Morgan Silver Dollar is not just a regular antique coin; it’s literally a hidden treasure. So, use this guide to spot this iconic coin in your collector or next garage sale. The 1881 Morgan Silver Dollar is another valuable coin from this era that sells for mind-boggling prices. Hop on to my next blog to learn more about this iconic coin!

Judith Miller
Judith Miller

Judith is an antique expert with nearly 20 years of experience in the field of antique identification and valuation. She has reviewed over 30 thousand vintage items and has worked with numerous antique shops. She enjoys seeing new places, attending antique shows and events, and sharing her knowledge with people! Know more about me

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *