How to Find the Value of an 1883 Silver Dollar

Examine your silver dollar. Look for flaws such as scratches in prominent areas, fingerprints, wear or damage to the rim and wear on the face and obverse. Inspect the coin for manufacturing errors, as these will increase its value to collectors. Some types of flaws during processing include unevenness of the coin (one side is thinner than the other), dye errors and double strikes (the year is struck twice, for example). Collectors will frequently pay more for the flukes than the perfect coins. Use a magnifying glass and good overhead lighting for best results.

Locate the mint mark, if any, on your silver dollar, such as a "P" for Philadelphia or an "S" for San Francisco (it's near the date). Each mint did not produce the same number of coins; they produced according to the need in their geographic area. Therefore silver dollars produced during the same year can have different values depending on how many of that particular coin are available.

Assign a grade to your 1883 silver dollar based on your inspection. There are two ways to learn how to grade coins. On the Internet, go to the Coin Collecting Guide for Beginners website and read the description for each grade. You can also buy a book that will teach you how to grade your coins, such as the "Official American Numismatic Association Standards for United States Coins" by Kenneth Bressett.

Determine the value of your silver dollar by visiting a website that updates this information frequently. Although some websites want you to join and pay a fee for this information, it is readily available for free at several other places, including the United States Coin Pricing Guide website. This particular website has good close-up photos of each coin along with tips for collecting.