Numismatic

1885-O Morgan Dollar MS-64 NGC

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Struck at the New Orleans Mint, this 1885 silver dollar represents a key moment in late nineteenth-century American coinage. The piece is composed of 90 percent silver, containing 0.7734 troy ounces of the precious metal. It measures 38.1 mm in diameter and has a thickness of 3.1 mm, weighing in at 26.73 grams. This specific specimen has been certified in Mint State 64 (MS-64), showcasing its remarkable state of preservation over more than a century. The obverse features a left-facing portrait of Lady Liberty. Her hair is adorned with a Phrygian cap, which is decorated with cotton and wheat. The Latin motto E PLURIBUS UNUM and the date 1885 encircle the portrait. On the reverse, an eagle with spread wings holds an olive branch alongside a cluster of arrows. The inscriptions include UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ONE DOLLAR, and the motto IN GOD WE TRUST. The New Orleans origin is marked by the letter O on the reverse. This series was initiated following the Bland-Allison Act of 1878, which mandated the government purchase and minting of silver. Out of a total mintage of 9,185,000 struck at the southern facility that year, this coin survived in exceptional condition, offering a direct link to the industrial era of American minting.