The 1880 Morgan Silver Dollar isn’t just a regular silver coin—it could be your ticket to riches! With some rare varieties fetching over $160,000 at coin auction, this old coin might be worth more than you ever imagined. Get ready to find out how much your old 1880 silver dollar can fetch!
In average condition, the 1880 Morgan Silver Dollar is worth around $30 to $50. However, coins in extremely fine condition with sharp details and original silvery luster or rare features can fetch premium prices of up to six-figure!
Brief History of the 1880 Morgan Silver Dollar
The 1880 Morgan Silver Dollar is part of the series that started in 1878. It was designed by George T. Morgan, an engraver at the U.S. Mint. It features a profile of Lady Liberty on the obverse and an eagle on the reverse. This design remained in circulation until 1904, with a brief revival in 1921.
In 1880, the U.S. Mint produced millions of Morgan dollars across several mint locations, including Philadelphia (no mint mark), New Orleans (O), Carson City (CC), and San Francisco (S). The total mintage for the year reached approximately 12.6 million coins.
However, the quality of strikes depends on the mint where the coins were produced. This year’s silver dollars are particularly notable for their overdate varieties and unique mint errors that can significantly increase their value among collectors.
| 1880 Morgan Silver Dollar | Key Facts |
| Material Composition | Silver (90.0%) & Copper (10.0%) |
| Minting Location | Philadelphia, Carson City, New Orleans & San Francisco |
| Year of Minting | 1880 |
| Face Value | $1.00 |
| Weight | 26.730g |
| Actual Silver Weight (ASW) | 0.7734 oz |
| Diameter | 38.1mm |
| Thickness | 2.4mm |
| Designer | George T. Morgan |
| Mint Marks | ‘CC’ for Carson City, ‘O’ for New Orleans & ‘S’ for San Francisco |
| Total Mintage | 27,301,355 coins |
Understanding an 1880 Silver Dollar (Design & Composition)
Understanding the design elements, composition, and size of an 1880 Morgan Dollar is the first step to identifying a genuine coin. Here’s an overview of these features:
1880 Morgan Silver Dollar Obverse:
- A left-facing portrait of Lady Liberty, wearing a Phrygian (conical) cap
- The minting year ‘1880’ below the profile or the truncation line
- Flowing hair & a calm expression on the lady’s face
- Arranged flowers and the word ‘LIBERTY’ on the lady’s cap
- 13 stars representing the thirteen US states around the coin’s other edge
- The words ‘E PLURIBUS UNUM’ (translating to ‘Out of Many, One’) on the upper edge
1880 Morgan Silver Dollar Reverse:
- A huge bald eagle with spread-out wings and a left-side head in the center
- A group of arrows in its left claw and an olive branch in the right
- ‘UNITED STATES OF AMERICA’ along the upper half edge
- The denomination ‘One Dollar’ on the bottom
- The words ‘IN GOD WE TRUST’ raised above the eagle’s motif
- A typical, raised circular laurel vine design around the eagle
- The mint mark, if present, below the laurel vine
1880 Silver Dollar Composition and Size
The 1880 Morgan Silver Dollar continued using the traditional composition of 90% silver and 10% copper for the silver dollar, giving it a weight of 26.73 grams with 0.7734 oz of actual silver weight.
The coin’s diameter is 38.1 mm, and its thickness is 2.4 mm. To prevent counterfeiting, the edge is reeded with about 118 reeds or grooves. The number of reeds might differ if the coin is old and worn out.
1880 Morgan Silver Dollar Price Guide (3 Key Factors)
As stated above, the value of an 1880 Morgan silver dollar can range from $50 to $150,000. This huge difference in its value is due to several factors, such as coin grades, special mint marks, minting errors, and rare varieties.
Let’s understand these factors in detail.
1. Coin Grading and Condition
The condition of an 1880 Morgan dollar is the most important factor impacting its value. Coins in excellent condition with original luster and sharp details are worth way more than those with visible damage, worn-out designs, and blunt edges.
Coins are graded on a scale from PO-1 to MS-70, with higher grades indicating better condition. For example, an 1880 silver dollar graded MS65 (Mint State 65) can be worth hundreds, while a lower-graded coin may only fetch its silver melt value.
2. 1880 Silver Dollar Mint Marks & Value
The total mintage for the 1880 Morgan Silver Dollar is approximately 8.9 million coins, distributed across four mints: Philadelphia (no mint mark), New Orleans (O), San Francisco (S), and Carson City (CC).
Although the high production makes this coin common, each mint produced different quantities with unique mint marks that influence their rarity and value.
| Coin Grades | 1880 Morgan Dollar (No Mint Mark) | 1880 CC Morgan Dollar | 1880 O Morgan Dollar | 1880 S Morgan Dollar |
| Poor (0) to Extremely Fine (XF45) | $20 – $50 | $100 – $350 | $30 – $50 | $25 – 45 |
| Almost Uncirculated (AU50) to Mint State (AU58+) | $50 – $60 | $350 – $400 | $55 – $130 | $30 – 65 |
| Mint State (MS60 – MS64+) | $60 – $225 | $400 – $1,000 | $150 – $4,000 | $40 – $320 |
| MS65 – MS66+ | $350 – $6,500 | $1,000 – $4,500 | $8,500 – $41,000 | $200 – $600 |
| MS67 – MS67+ | $15,000 – $28,000 | $10,000 – $20,000 | N/A | $700 – $1,700 |
| MS68 – MS68+ | N/A | N/A | N/A | $3,000 – $7,000 |
| MS69 – MS70 | N/A | N/A | N/A | $19,500 – $162,000 |
Besides, some coins each mint produces also feature Prooflike or Deep Mirror Prooflike (DMPL) finishes, which are more valuable than regular coins.
1880 No Mint Mark Silver Dollar (Mintage – 12,600,000)
The Philadelphia Mint produced over 12 million silver dollars in 1880, all with no mint mark on the reverse. In circulated condition, 1880 silver dollar no mint mark coins are worth around $25-$50, but uncirculated coins can range from $50 to $27,000 for high grades, like MS67.
The value of the Prooflike 1880 No mint mark silver dollar ranges from $50 to $7,000, while the DMPL variety ranges from $100 to $30,000 or more, depending on grades.
1880 O Morgan Silver Dollar (Mintage – 5,305,000)
The Morgan dollars struck at New Orleans bear an “O” mint mark on the back. Due to lower mintage, they are more valuable than the no mint mark variety. The 1880 O silver dollars are worth about $30 to $130 in circulated condition but can fetch up to $2,000 to $40,000 or more in mint state, depending on grades.
The most expensive 1880 O Silver Dollar sold for a staggering price of $41,125 on Heritage Auctions! It was a well-preserved coin graded MS-65+ by PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service).
The DMPL variety of an 1880 O Silver Dollar can fetch $250 to $25,000 in common mint grades and around $50,000 to $65,000 or more in MS-65 grades. The Prooflike variety can also reach high values of $19,000 to $30,000 in MS-65 grades, while lower examples are worth $120 to $3,700.
1880 S Silver Dollar Proof Variety (Mintage – 8,900,000)
Identified by the S mint mark, the San Francisco Mint-produced 1880 silver dollars are also quite valuable. They are valued at around $40-$60, in circulated condition but can exceed $35,000 in high grades.
In fact, the most expensive 1880 Morgan Silver Dollar ever sold was from the San Francisco Mint in MS-69 grade, which sold for an eye-popping price of $162,000 at Heritage Auctions in 2021.
Like regular coins, the PL and DMPL varieties of an 1880-S silver dollar can be worth $2,000 to $34,000 in MS-65 to MS-68 grades.
1880 CC Morgan Silver Dollar (Mintage – 495,000)
The Canson City produced the lowest number of Morgan dollars, identified by the CC mint mark, making it the most valuable of all. Even circulated examples of an 1880 CC silver dollar are worth $100-$500, while mint state examples can range from $500 to over $50,000, based on grades.
The highest-graded example of an 1880 Carson City Morgan dollar is an MS-67 coin that was sold for a record price of $47,000 on Stack’s Bowers.
PL 1880 CC silver dollar can be valued at around $17,000 to $68,000 for MS-67 grades, while lower examples range from $400 to $10,000. As for the DMPL variety, the values can go as high as $22,000 for MS-66 grade, which is the highest-graded DMPL example to be found for an 1880 CC Morgan dollar.
1880 Morgan Silver Dollar Proof Variety (Mintage – 1,355)
The Philadelphia Mint also produced over a thousand proof 1880 Morgan dollars intended only for collectors. Like regular dollar coins from this mint, proof dollars bear no mint mark, but you can identify them by their mirror-like surface and sharp devices.
A regular 1880 Morgan dollar in average condition can be valued at $1,500. The uncirculated examples can range from $2,000 to $40,000 in PR-60 to PR-68, while PR-69 examples can fetch staggering prices of up to $70,000!
In addition, some proof dollar coins may feature a distinctive reflective surface with a strong contrast between the raised designs and mirrored background, making them more unique and collectible than regular proofs.
Such proof coins are known as “Cameo (CAM),” and those with an even sharper contrast are designated “Deep Cameo (DCAM).” The value of Cameo 1880 silver dollar proof coins range from $2,000 to $20,000 in MS-60 to MS-67+ grades. MS-68 examples are worth $21,000 to $45,000, while MS-69 CAM proofs can fetch over $200,000 today!
In fact, an 1880 Morgan Dollar CAM proof coin sold for a mind-boggling price of $204,000 on Heritage Auctions in January, 2024!
3. Rare 1880 Morgan Dollar Errors & Varieties
The most popular minting error for the 1880 Morgan dollar is the coin getting struck on a previous year’s planchet featuring an overdate. Here are some valuable varieties to look for:
1880/79-CC $1 Reverse of 1878
These error coins struck at the Carson City combine an overdate (79 visible under 80) with the 1878 reverse design featuring parallel arrow feathers. The value of this special coin can range $500 to $10,000 in common mint state and from $1,000 to $17,000 or more for DMPL varieties.
1880-CC $1 8/7 Reverse of 1878
This rare coin combines the overdate impression of the second 8 from 1880 on the 7 from 1878 with the 1878 dollar reverse. Being extremely valuable, this coin can fetch $20,000 to $57,000 in high grades like MS-67, while lower grades range from $500 to $8,000 in MS-60 to MS-66+ grades.
1880-CC $1 8/High 7 Reverse of 1879
Another variety known from Carson Mint is the one with the second 8 of 1880 struck on a High 7 from 1879. To spot this, look for remnants of a 7 high in the loop of the second 8. This Carson City variety is less common than the Low 7.
This variety can fetch around $500 to $5,00 in common mint grades, with higher examples like MS-67 or MS-67+ reaching values ranging from $10,000 to $52,000 or more. For example, this MS-67 1880-CC $1 8/High 7 sold for $52,800 on Stack’s Bowers auction!
1880-CC $1 8/Low 7 Reverse of 1879
Some coins from the Carson Mint show traces of a 7 low in the second 8’s loop. Although more common than the High 7, it still commands a premium price. Circulated 1880-CC silver dollars of this variety might fetch $100-$400, while uncirculated coins can reach $500-$7,000, with MS-67 examples reaching up to $26,000!
How to Know If Your 1880 Morgan Dollar Is Silver
If you’re confused about whether your 1880 Morgan dollar is real silver or not, follow these steps:
- Check the Weight: A genuine Morgan dollar should weigh approximately 26.73 grams. Use a precise scale to verify this.
- Examine the Edge: The edge should be reeded. Look for any unusual markings or irregularities.
- Conduct a Magnet Test: Use a magnet to check the coin. Silver is not magnetic, so if the coin is attracted to the magnet, it’s likely not genuine silver.
- Compare from Authentic Examples: Lastly, compare the tone and color from real 1880 dollars to spot any difference.
