Conjuring up images of cattle runs, boom town saloons, and outlaws the likes of Butch Cassidy and Jesse James, the Morgan Silver dollar is a mainstay of American coin collecting. It’s equally intriguing to both coin collectors and history lovers alike thanks to its intricate designs as well as the unique part it played in our country’s origin. When you’re holding a large, weighty Morgan silver dollar coin in your hand, you can truly feel the connection to the days of the Old West.
The Significance of a 50 Piece Morgan Dollar Set
The Morgan dollar played a significant role in American history. It was originally mandated as a way to support the country’s burgeoning silver industry and the resulting currency financed the United States’ expansion for the next 50 years. However, most Morgan dollars were taken out of circulation by the Treasury in 1918 and melted down to bullion in order to support the Allies during the First World War. The discovery of a long-forgotten cache of coins in a US Treasury vault, and subsequent release by the General Services Administration, ignited collectors’ interest in collecting the full 50 piece Morgan dollar set.
Morgan Dollar Coins in a Set
The full Morgan 50, as the collection is known, is a collection of 50 uncirculated coins struck between 1878 and 1921 when the Morgan’s run permanently ended. The full set includes coins from all five mints and represents and is designed to fit into any collector’s price range. Below is a list of all 50 coins included in the set.
The Philadelphia Coins
- 1878-P 8Tailfeather
- 1878-P 7Tailfeather (Reverse of 78)
- 1879-P
- 1880-P
- 1881-P
- 1882-P
- 1883-P
- 1884-P
- 1885-P
- 1886-P
- 1887-P
- 1888-P
- 1889-P
- 1890-P
- 1891-P
- 1896-P
- 1897-P
- 1898-P
- 1900-P
- 1902-P
- 1903-P
- 1921-P
The San Francisco Coins
- 1878-S
- 1879-S
- 1880-S
- 1881-S
- 1882-S
- 1890-S
- 1891-S
- 1897-S
- 1921-S
The Carson City Coins
- 1882-CC
- 1883-CC
- 1884-CC
The New Orleans Coins
- 1879-O
- 1881-O
- 1882-O
- 1883-O
- 1884-O
- 1885-O
- 1887-O
- 1888-O
- 1890-O
- 1898-O
- 1899-O
- 1900-O
- 1901-O
- 1902-O
- 1904-O
Coins Struck in Denver
1921 is the only year the US Mint in Denver created the Morgan silver dollar coins.
How to Build Your Collection
The full 50 collection is designed to help new collectors start building their collections while at the same time learning about this historic coin with all its intricacies and variations. However, the Morgan silver dollar is one of America’s most collected coins, with many versions becoming more expensive and harder to find each year. Other Morgan dollars, however, are much easier to find and less costly to collect. Therefore, collectors need to plan out their strategy to find and acquire coins – some prefer to start easy and work their way up while others start with the rarest coins first. In the end, the “right way” is whichever strategy works best for the individual collector.
Collecting a full 50 piece Morgan dollar set is a significant lifetime achievement for any numismatologist. Each coin collected represents a connection between the past and present as well as the collector’s dedication and determination. Once you’ve completed your full 50, register the collection with the NGC to display your achievement to other coin collectors around the world.