Morgan silver dollars are U.S. coins, which were minted from 1878 to 1904, with an additional minting in 1921. The reason for the stoppage in 1904 was that the supply of dollars in circulation was high, but there was an absence of silver bullion. The Pittman Act in 1918 called for over 270 million coins to be melted for their 90% silver content. After the last minting year of 1921, the Morgan Silver Dollar was replaced with the Peace Dollar commemorative that would become standard issue. These dazzling “cartwheels” got their name from George T. Morgan, their designer. Morgan’s initials appear near the lovely Lady Liberty’s neck on the obverse of the coin. Five United States Mints struck Morgan dollars, but the main mint in Philadelphia prepared the obverse and reverse dies.

The stunning 1896-P Morgan Silver Dollar shown here was struck at the Philadelphia Mint and is in Almost Uncirculated condition.  You may see coins that were minted at Philadelphia referred to as 1896-P, for example, but in actuality, Morgans from this Mint have no mint mark. The total mintage for circulation for the Philadelphia Mint in 1896 was 9,976,000.  It does boggle the mind that one Mint produced all those Morgans, but you must take into account that so many were melted down. Plus, you can’t ignore the fabulous condition of this Morgan dollar. This 1896 Morgan silver dollar has a brilliant luster and the detailing of Lady Liberty and the bald eagle on the reverse remains strong and well-defined. The rims of this silver dollar are still full. The age, quality and beauty of this 1896 Morgan silver dollar make it a worthwhile purchase and an asset to any collection!