1887 Morgan Silver Dollar Coin Value: How Much Is It Worth?
The 1887 Morgan Silver Dollar spans a wide value range depending on mint, variety and condition. Guide estimates run from about $74.00 in well-worn grades to $40,758.00 for top Mint State examples of specific branches — these are guide figures, not guaranteed offers.
Before assuming your coin is common or rare, you need to identify three things: which mint struck it, whether it carries an overdate variety, and what condition it actually is. A plain 1887 Philadelphia strike and an 1887/6-O overdate from New Orleans are very different animals.
Ordinary circulated examples are plentiful, but the special branches below can carry serious premiums.
Fast Way to Identify Your 1887 Morgan Silver Dollar
The quickest way to start figuring out what you have is to upload clear photos of the front and back of your coin. Our identifier can give you a preliminary read on the mint, design and general version so you know which branch to research further.
It will not authenticate errors, assign an exact grade or guarantee a price, but it saves you time narrowing down the basics.
1887 Morgan Silver Dollar Value
Upload both sides of your 1887 Morgan Silver Dollar.
Front Obverse
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Back Reverse
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Which 1887 Morgan Silver Dollar Versions Are Worth Money?
- The 1887/6-O overdate from New Orleans carries guide estimates from $79.00 in G4 to $40,758.00 in MS65 — the highest listed anchor for this year.
- The 1887/6 Philadelphia overdate shares the overdate premium, with guide estimates of $86.00 in G4 to $2,534.00 in MS65.
- The 1887-S San Francisco strike lists $74.00 in G4 and $1,915.00 in MS65, making higher-grade examples worth investigating.
- The 1887 proof is a distinct manufacturing finish requiring individual assessment by authenticated identity and condition.
- An 1887-S repunched mintmark (S/S) has been reported and may carry a premium depending on visibility and condition.
Step 1: Identify Your 1887 Morgan Silver Dollar Mint Mark and Version
First, flip the coin over and look below the bow that ties the wreath on the reverse. That is where the mintmark lives.
No letter means Philadelphia. An "O" means New Orleans.
An "S" means San Francisco. Only those three mints produced 1887-dated Morgan Dollars.
The coin is 90% silver and 10% copper, weighing 26.73 grams. If yours feels lighter or does not pass a magnet test, something is wrong.
The obverse shows Liberty's head in a Phrygian cap; the reverse has an eagle with outstretched wings inside a wreath. The edge is reeded.
For 1887, six distinct branches exist: the regular Philadelphia strike, the 1887/6 overdate (Philadelphia), the 1887-O, the 1887/6-O overdate (New Orleans), the 1887-S, and the 1887 proof. The two overdate varieties show traces of a "6" beneath the final "7" in the date — look closely with magnification before claiming you have one.
Proofs are a special manufacturing finish with mirrored fields, not simply a shiny coin that avoided circulation.
Step 2: Check Your 1887 Morgan Silver Dollar Grade
Start with the hair above Liberty's ear and across the cap. On a well-circulated coin these areas are flat, with detail worn smooth.
The cheek is another quick tell — if it shows obvious friction without luster, you are looking at a coin below About Uncirculated.
On the reverse, check the eagle's breast feathers. A coin grading Fine will show clear feather outlines but noticeable smoothing on the high points.
At About Uncirculated, you will see only the slightest rub on the breast and wing tips, with most luster still present.
Mint State coins retain full luster, but bag marks — tiny contact dings from being stored loose in canvas bags — can drag the grade down considerably. A coin with no wear but heavy bag marks on Liberty's cheek might grade MS-60, while a clean example grades MS-65 or higher.
Use the comparison image to see how each wear stage looks on the same design type.
Proof coins are judged differently. They were made with polished dies and planchets, producing mirror-like fields.
Do not confuse prooflike business strikes with actual proofs — prooflike is a surface designation on regular strikes, not proof manufacture.
Cleaned or polished coins get a details grade and lose much of their collector premium, no matter how sharp the remaining design looks.
Step 3: Check 1887 Morgan Silver Dollar Value by Mint and Version
1887 Morgan Silver Dollar
The regular 1887 Philadelphia Morgan Dollar has no mintmark. Look below the wreath bow on the reverse — the space should be empty.
This is by far the most common branch for the year.
USA Coin Book guide estimates place this coin at about $86.00 in G4 and around $2,534.00 in MS65. These are guide figures, not sale guarantees.
Original untouched surfaces matter here; a cleaned example will trade well below guide levels even if the remaining detail looks sharp. Prooflike or deep-mirror prooflike surface designations can appear on eligible business strikes and may affect pricing, but those are not proof coins.
Range Grade
Price Auction Records Appraisal PO PO 1
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Coin Identifier FR FR 2
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Coin Identifier AG AG 3
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Coin Identifier G G 4
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G 6
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Coin Identifier VG VG 8
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VG 10
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Coin Identifier F F 12
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F 15
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Coin Identifier VF VF 20
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VF 25
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VF 30
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VF 35
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Coin Identifier XF XF 40
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XF 45
Coin Identifier AU AU 50
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AU 53
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AU 55
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AU 58
Coin Identifier MS MS 60
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MS 61
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MS 62
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MS 63
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MS 64
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MS 65
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MS 66
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MS 67
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MS 68
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MS 69
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MS 70
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1887 Morgan Silver Dollar — /6
The 1887/6 overdate is a Philadelphia-minted die variety where remnants of a "6" are visible beneath the final "7" in the date. You need magnification to confirm this — look for a curved trace just to the left of and below the upright of the "7."
Guide estimates from USA Coin Book list about $86.00 in G4 and $2,534.00 in MS65. The overdate is the whole story with this variety: without confirmed traces of the underlying "6," you just have a regular 1887.
Polished or cleaned coins lose the subtle die traces that make identification possible, so original surfaces are especially important. Do not confuse a damaged or struck-through date with an overdate attribution.
Range Grade
Price Auction Records Appraisal PO PO 1
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Coin Identifier FR FR 2
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Coin Identifier AG AG 3
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Coin Identifier G G 4
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Coin Identifier
G 6
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Coin Identifier VG VG 8
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VG 10
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Coin Identifier F F 12
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F 15
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Coin Identifier VF VF 20
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VF 25
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VF 30
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VF 35
Coin Identifier XF XF 40
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XF 45
Coin Identifier AU AU 50
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AU 53
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AU 55
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AU 58
Coin Identifier MS MS 60
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MS 61
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MS 62
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MS 63
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MS 64
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MS 65
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MS 66
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MS 67
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MS 68
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MS 69
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MS 70
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1887 Morgan Silver Dollar — O
The 1887-O was struck at the New Orleans Mint. Turn the coin over and look for an "O" mintmark below the wreath bow.
Guide estimates run from about $79.00 in G4 to $40,758.00 in MS65, reflecting how scarce gem-quality survivors are for this issue. New Orleans strikes are often softer than Philadelphia coins, so a fully struck MS65 example commands a dramatic premium over lower Mint State grades.
Original surfaces and grade drive value; cleaning reduces comparability against guide figures.
Coin Value Lookup is a good starting point if you want to look up other Morgan Dollar dates and mints to compare values across the series.
Range Grade
Price Auction Records Appraisal PO PO 1
Coin Identifier FR FR 2
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Coin Identifier AG AG 3
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Coin Identifier G G 4
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Coin Identifier
G 6
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Coin Identifier VG VG 8
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VG 10
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Coin Identifier F F 12
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F 15
Coin Identifier VF VF 20
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VF 25
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VF 30
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Coin Identifier
VF 35
Coin Identifier XF XF 40
Coin Identifier
XF 45
Coin Identifier AU AU 50
Coin Identifier
AU 53
Coin Identifier
AU 55
Coin Identifier
AU 58
Coin Identifier MS MS 60
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MS 61
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MS 62
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MS 63
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MS 64
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MS 65
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MS 66
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MS 67
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MS 68
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MS 69
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—
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MS 70
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1887 Morgan Silver Dollar — /6-O
The 1887/6-O combines two premium features: the New Orleans mintmark and the overdate die variety showing traces of a "6" beneath the "7" in the date. Confirm the "O" mintmark below the wreath bow on the reverse, then inspect the date under magnification for the telltale curved remnant of the earlier digit.
USA Coin Book guide estimates list approximately $79.00 in G4 and $40,758.00 in MS65, the highest anchor for any 1887 Morgan branch in this guide. That MS65 figure reflects extreme rarity at the gem level — most survivors grade far lower.
Original surfaces are critical both for preserving the overdate traces and for maintaining collector value. A cleaned coin will lose premium on both counts.
Range Grade
Price Auction Records Appraisal PO PO 1
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Coin Identifier FR FR 2
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Coin Identifier AG AG 3
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Coin Identifier G G 4
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Coin Identifier
G 6
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Coin Identifier VG VG 8
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Coin Identifier
VG 10
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Coin Identifier F F 12
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F 15
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Coin Identifier VF VF 20
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VF 25
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VF 30
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VF 35
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Coin Identifier XF XF 40
Coin Identifier
XF 45
Coin Identifier AU AU 50
Coin Identifier
AU 53
Coin Identifier
AU 55
Coin Identifier
AU 58
Coin Identifier MS MS 60
Coin Identifier
MS 61
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MS 62
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MS 63
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MS 64
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MS 65
Coin Identifier
MS 66
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—
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MS 67
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—
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MS 68
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—
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MS 69
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—
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MS 70
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1887 Morgan Silver Dollar — S
The 1887-S was struck at the San Francisco Mint. Look for an "S" mintmark below the wreath bow on the reverse.
USA Coin Book guide estimates place this branch at about $74.00 in G4 and $1,915.00 in MS65. San Francisco issues from this era tend to have above-average strike quality compared to New Orleans, but gem examples still carry solid premiums.
As always, original surfaces and accurate grading determine where your coin falls within the range. Prooflike surface designations may appear on eligible business strikes and can affect pricing.
Range Grade
Price Auction Records Appraisal PO PO 1
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Coin Identifier FR FR 2
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Coin Identifier AG AG 3
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Coin Identifier G G 4
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Coin Identifier
G 6
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Coin Identifier VG VG 8
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Coin Identifier
VG 10
Coin Identifier F F 12
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Coin Identifier
F 15
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Coin Identifier VF VF 20
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Coin Identifier
VF 25
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Coin Identifier
VF 30
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Coin Identifier
VF 35
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Coin Identifier XF XF 40
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Coin Identifier
XF 45
Coin Identifier AU AU 50
Coin Identifier
AU 53
Coin Identifier
AU 55
Coin Identifier
AU 58
Coin Identifier MS MS 60
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MS 61
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MS 62
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MS 63
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MS 64
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MS 65
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MS 66
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MS 67
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MS 68
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MS 69
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—
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MS 70
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1887 Morgan Silver Dollar — PR
The 1887 proof Morgan Dollar was manufactured at Philadelphia using polished dies and specially prepared planchets, creating mirror-like fields. It carries no mintmark.
Proof is a manufacturing method, not a grade above Mint State — a proof can still have hairlines or toning that affect its condition grade.
No supported numerical price range is adopted for this branch. Value depends on authenticated identity, condition and any individual characteristics.
Do not assume a shiny coin is a proof; prooflike and deep-mirror prooflike are surface designations on regular business strikes that can mimic proof appearance to an untrained eye. Professional authentication is the only reliable way to confirm proof status on a Morgan Dollar.
Range Grade
Price Auction Records Appraisal PR PR 1
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PR 2
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PR 3
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PR 4
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PR 6
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PR 8
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PR 10
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PR 12
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PR 15
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PR 20
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PR 25
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PR 30
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PR 35
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PR 40
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PR 45
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PR 50
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PR 53
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PR 55
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PR 58
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PR 60
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PR 61
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PR 62
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PR 63
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PR 64
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PR 65
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PR 66
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PR 67
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PR 68
Coin Identifier
PR 69
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Coin Identifier
PR 70
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1887 Morgan Silver Dollar Error List
1. 1887 Morgan Silver Dollar — Repunched Mintmark
A repunched mintmark has been reported on the 1887-S Morgan Dollar, described as an S/S variety. This occurs when the mintmark punch was applied more than once in slightly different positions on the working die, leaving traces of the first impression visible alongside the final one.
To check for this, examine the "S" mintmark below the wreath bow under magnification. Look for a secondary outline or partial letter offset from the primary punch.
Compare your coin's mintmark to a normal 1887-S at the same magnification to see whether any doubling is present.
Do not confuse this with machine doubling, which produces flat shelf-like distortion, or with a die chip or corrosion around the mintmark. No numerical price is adopted for this error; value depends on the visibility of the repunching, overall coin condition, and the specific variety involved.
2. 1887 Morgan Silver Dollar — Off-Center Strike
An off-center strike on an 1887 Morgan Dollar occurs when the planchet is not properly seated between the dies at the moment of striking. The result is a displaced design with an unstruck crescent-shaped area on part of the coin.
Look for a blank, flat area along one edge where no design was impressed. The design elements present will be shifted away from center.
Coins that retain a readable date despite the misalignment tend to be more desirable.
Do not mistake a clipped planchet, one-sided die misalignment, or post-mint damage such as flattening for a genuine off-center error. A source-reported entry references a record-setting 1887 off-center brockage, but no numerical price range is adopted here.
Value depends on condition, the degree of off-center displacement, and professional verification.
3. 1887 Morgan Silver Dollar — Brockage
A brockage error on an 1887 Morgan Dollar happens when a previously struck coin fails to eject and acts as a die against the next blank. The result is one normal side and one side showing an incuse, mirror-image impression of the design.
To identify a brockage, look for a sunken, reversed version of either the obverse or reverse design on the opposite side of the coin. The image will read backwards and sit below the coin's surface rather than raised above it.
This is different from a die clash, which leaves faint ghost-like traces on both sides but still shows the correct design in relief. Post-mint pressing of one coin against another can also mimic a brockage.
No numerical price is adopted; value depends on the error's completeness, condition, and authenticated confirmation.
4. 1887 Morgan Silver Dollar — Partial Collar Strike
A partial collar strike occurs when the collar die — the ring that forms the edge — does not fully contain the planchet during striking. Part of the coin expands beyond the collar, creating a stepped or "railroad rim" effect on one section of the edge while the rest looks normal.
To check, examine the edge of your 1887 Morgan Dollar all the way around. A partial collar will show a distinct transition: normal reeding on one portion and a smooth, expanded lip on another.
Compare the edge profile with a normal coin to see the difference clearly.
Do not confuse this with general rim damage, a flattened rim from a drop, or a complete broadstrike where no collar was present at all. No numerical price is adopted for this error.
Value varies with the degree of the collar malfunction, the coin's overall condition, and professional authentication.
5. 1887 Morgan Silver Dollar — Overdate
The 1887/6 overdate is one of the best-known Morgan Dollar die varieties. It was created when a die originally dated 1886 was re-engraved with an 1887 date, leaving traces of the "6" visible beneath the "7" in the final digit.
Under magnification, look at the lower portion of the "7" in the date. You should see a curved remnant — part of the "6" — peeking out, particularly on the left side of the digit.
This is subtle on worn examples and becomes easier to spot on higher-grade coins with original surfaces.
Do not confuse a damaged or corroded date with an overdate. Machine doubling produces flat, shelf-like displacement rather than the rounded contour of a different underlying numeral.
No numerical price is adopted separately for the error listing; refer to the overdate version branches for guide estimates. Condition and visibility of the underlying digit both affect value.
