What Makes a 1885 Silver Dollar Rare?
The 1885 Morgan dollar has gotten complicated with all the mintmark premiums, grade debates, and Carson City hype flying around. As someone who has collected Morgans from every mint year, I learned everything there is to know about what actually makes certain 1885 dollars valuable. Today, I will share it all with you.
The Basic Facts
Probably should have led with this section, honestly—1885 Morgan dollars were minted at four locations with drastically different quantities:
- Philadelphia: 17.8 million (common)
- New Orleans: 9.1 million (common)
- San Francisco: 1.5 million (scarcer)
- Carson City: 228,000 (rare)
The Carson City Premium
That’s what makes the 1885-CC endearing to us Morgan collectors—it’s genuinely scarce from a mint with legendary status. Even heavily worn examples command hundreds of dollars. Gem-quality specimens reach into the thousands.
Condition Trumps Everything
A Philadelphia 1885 in MS-66 condition is worth more than a Carson City in VF-20. High-grade examples of any mintmark are scarce because bag marks and handling damage most surviving coins.
Proof Coins
The Mint produced only 930 proof 1885 Morgan dollars. These specially struck coins are extremely valuable and primarily reside in advanced collections.
Authentication Matters
Fake Carson City dollars exist. PCGS or NGC certification confirms authenticity and establishes grade. For any 1885 Morgan worth more than a few hundred dollars, professional grading is worthwhile.
