#91 • 1885 Silver Morgan Dollar New Orleans

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

High bid $38.00

Status: Sold

Estimated Value: $100-300 Origin: United States Denomination: One Dollar Year: 1885 Mint: New Orleans Grade/Condition: Estimated: MS Metal: Silver Weight (+/- 0.2g): 26.7 Grams Additional Description: The 1885 Morgan Silver Dollar struck at the New Orleans Mint is a well-regarded Southern issue, identifiable by the "O" mint mark beneath the wreath on the reverse. The New Orleans Mint, reactivated for Morgan Dollar production in the post-Reconstruction South, was known for turning out large quantities of coinage, often with less-than-crisp detail due to worn dies or lower striking pressure. The 1885-O is no exception; Liberty’s hair and the eagle’s breast feathers are frequently softly defined. George T. Morgan’s enduring design features Liberty in profile on the obverse, her cap crowned with cotton and wheat, symbols of the agricultural strength of the young republic. The reverse displays an eagle with wings spread, grasping arrows and an olive branch, framed by the familiar national mottoes and inscriptions. Struck in 90% silver and 10% copper, produced during the height of the silver surplus era, the 1885-O exemplifies the continued influence of the Bland-Allison Act, which required the Treasury to purchase and coin millions of ounces of silver annually.