1878-CC $1 Morgan Silver Dollar PCGS MS66

The year 1878 saw the first issue of the Morgan dollar series, as well as of the notable Carson City Morgan dollar subset. Subsequently, numismatists have always been drawn to this date and mintmark.

Numismatic author Q. David Bowers reports that between 100,000 and 125,000 of them were sold by the Treasury Department from the late 1930s up to 1962. Because of that, the GSA holdings were modest: 60,993--or 2.75% of the original mintage of 2,212,000. That precious remnant was sold during the GSA mail bids of the 1970s.

PCGS has graded 342 as MS66 with 53 finer. Collectors Universe gives this issue a price of $6,000.00 in MS66.

The Carson City Mint, where this rare piece was struck in 1878. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Bowers discusses the overall appeal of Carson City Morgan dollars: “The appeal of CC dollars in all instances, the demand for Carson City Morgan dollars today is greater than for those of any other single mint. The CC mintmark has a special appeal to collectors. Figuratively speaking, Carson City, Nevada, to collectors is like the vision of the Shining City on the Hill of biblical times—a land, if not of milk and honey, at least of sparkling gold and silver coins adorned with tiny CC letters on the reverse, an identification which, somehow, elevates them above the products of all other mints. All things being equal, a Carson City dollar of equal rarity to a Philadelphia, New Orleans, or San Francisco dollar will bring significantly more money.”