#74 • 1881 Silver Morgan Dollar Carson City

Part of Gold and Silver Showcase (live auction by Blue Box Auction Gallery)

High bid $130.00

Status: Sold

Estimated Value: $200-400 Origin: United States Denomination: One Dollar Year: 1881 Mint: Carson City Grade/Condition: Estimated: G Metal: Silver Weight (+/- 0.2g): 25.5 Grams Additional Description: The 1881 Morgan Silver Dollar struck at the Carson City Mint is a low-mintage and highly sought-after issue in the series, prized for its scarcity and historical interest. Bearing the “CC” mint mark beneath the wreath on the reverse, the coin was produced in limited quantity, only 296,000 pieces, making it one of the lowest regular-issue mintages of the entire Morgan Dollar series. This issue was struck at the height of the U.S. government’s Bland-Allison Act silver coinage program, which mandated the purchase and coining of large amounts of silver. Despite the program’s scale, the Carson City Mint, located near Nevada’s silver-rich Comstock Lode, struck relatively few coins due to its smaller capacity and increasingly uncertain future. In fact, the mint would cease coin production just two years later, in 1885. Designed by George T. Morgan, the obverse presents a refined portrait of Liberty wearing a Phrygian cap adorned with wheat and cotton, symbols of agricultural abundance and liberty. The reverse features a well-balanced eagle with outstretched wings, clutching arrows and an olive branch. Struck in 90% silver and 10% copper, the 1881-CC was among the Carson City dollars preserved in U.S. Treasury vaults.