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How to Identify Fraudulent 1887 Silver Dollars

The Morgan silver dollar was first minted in 1878 and was named after George T. Morgan, the U.S. Mint engraver who designed it. At the time, silver mining companies wanted to force the price of silver to higher levels and used their political influence to pass the Bland-Allison act, which required the U.S. Treasury Department to purchase between $2 and $4 million of silver every month and mint it into dollar coins. This led to an oversupply of silver dollar coins, so many remain in circulation. However, there are fraudulent 1887 silver dollars for sale. There are a few ways to distinguish them.

Instructions

- 1
  Learn the specification of the Morgan silver dollars. Authentic Morgan silver dollars are 38.1 mm in diameter and 26.73 grams in weight with a reeded edge, or small grooves around the perimeter of the coin.
- 2
  Check the mint mark on the side of the coin with the eagle. The mint mark should appear as a small "O" underneath the bow on the design for coins minted in New Orleans, "P" for Philadelphia or "S" for San Francisco.
- 3
  Examine the date closely for a faint "6" below the "7" in 1887. These are coins meant for the 1886 circulation that were printed in 1887. These authentic coins carry a higher value.
- 4
  Learn the correct design of the 1887 Morgan silver dollar. On one side should be a profile of Lady Liberty and the other side should show an eagle with its wings outstretched. View an image of authentic 1887 coins at websites such as Coin Facts.com.
- 5
  Find the current market value for 1887 Morgan silver dollar at websites such as Coin Values Advisor.com or eBay.com. If the coin for sale seems significantly higher or lower in price than the current market value, it is likely not authentic.

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