Value of 1896 Morgan Silver Dollar. The 1896 Morgan Silver Dollar is one of the most frequently seen dates of the Philadelphia Mint its decade. Close to a million Mint State coins in various grades are estimated to exist today. The strike is usually above average on coins made for circulation, and luster ranges from satiny to frosty. You might think a Morgan Silver Dollar with five million minted might be easy to find today, but that's not true for the 1896-S. Today the 1896 San Francisco Morgan Silver Dollar is extremely hard to find. This could be because most, if not all, were immediately released into circulation. The 1896 Morgan Silver Dollar was produced in three mints: New Orleans, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. The New Orleans Mint used an 'O' and the San Francisco Mint an 'S”. The main mint in Philadelphia did not use a mintmark. Ron Guth: In 2005, PCGS determined that all 1896-O, 1900-O and 1902-O Silver Dollars with so-called 'Micro o' mintmarks were counterfeit.This announcement was based on the discovery that all three dates shared common die markers.
- 1896 Silver Dollar New Orleans
- 1896 Silver Dollar Mint Mark
- 1896 Silver Dollar Worth
- 1896 Silver Dollar Value
- 1896 Silver Dollar Morgan
Mintage: 4,900,000
Finest Known: MS65 (NGC) MS66 (PCGS)
Auction Record: $345,000 (MS66)
1896 was the first year since 1892 that the New Orleans Mint produced more than two million Morgan dollars. Most 1896-O Morgan dollars went into circulation because of the low mintages of previous years. The New Orleans Mint retained some bags of 1896-O Morgans, which were sent to Treasury vaults after the Mint ceased operations.
Some bags of 1896-O Morgan dollars were released in the 1950s. Others showed up during the 1960s, but there was no interest in them. This is because coins from this mintage were almost universally unattractive.
Circulated 1896-O Morgan dollars are easy to find. PCGS estimates that there are only 23,000 surviving Mint State 1896-O Morgan dollars, and only eight of those are MS65 or higher. This makes the 1896-O one of the most rare Morgan dollars in high mint state.
1896 Silver Dollar New Orleans
In 2005, PCGS determined that all 1896-O, 1900-O and 1902-O Silver Dollars with so-called 'Micro o' mintmarks were counterfeit. This announcement was based on the discovery that all three dates shared common die markers.
The Value of an 1896-O Morgan Dollar
The 1896-O Morgan dollar unfortunately displays the poor, weak strikes and below average luster that was common among New Orleans Mint coins. As the majority of 1896-O Morgans were released into commerce, circulated examples are plentiful and cheap.
1896 Silver Dollar Mint Mark
Surviving Mint State 1896-O Morgan dollars suffered from their being shipped from Mint storage in New Orleans to Washington DC and the Philadelphia Mint. As a result, the vast majority of Mint State coins grade no better than MS61 or MS62. Even so, these lower Mint State coins cost around $2,000. The weak strikes of most 1896-O Morgan dollars accounts for the almost non-existent number of coins MS65 and above.
1896-O Morgan Dollar Price Guide
| Very Fine 25 | Extremely Fine 45 | About Uncirculated 55 |
|---|---|---|
| $41 | $81 | $195 |
1896 Silver Dollar Worth
| Mint State 61 | Mint State 63 | Mint State 65 | Auction Record (MS66) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,810 | $4,440 | $163,400 | $345,000 |
1896 Silver Dollar Value
The information on this page does not constitute an offer to buy or sell the coin(s) referred to. Statistics are for Mint State coins only. Proof and prooflike examples of this issue may have greater or lesser 'finest known' and different record auction prices.