Purchasing a silver dollar is incomplete without knowing its weight. The coin’s weight is a major contributor to its value and helps you make the right investment decisions. Even if you wish to sell your silver dollar, its weight will play an important role in the deal you get.
90% Peace dollars and 90% Morgan dollars are the most common silver coins collectors and investors purchase. It is common for buyers to check any silver coin's weight before taking any other step toward making a purchase.
So, how much does a silver dollar weigh and which factors determine a coin’s weight?
Let us explore these territories, one at a time.
Understanding The Silver Dollar Weight
Before asking “How much does a silver dollar weigh?” it is better to know the type of silver dollar you are looking for. Different silver dollars carry different weights. Morgan silver dollars are highly popular in the United States of America. In fact, the US Mint produced 90 million 1921 Morgan silver dollars. The silver dollar you want may be a different one. Always be mindful of the type of silver dollar you wish to add to your collection.
Moreover, there are two kinds of weights you should be concerned with – the overall coin weight and the weight of bullion silver present in a coin. A silver dollar may have a high overall weight but a low bullion silver weight. The same can be true for a highly pure silver coin that does not weigh much. Especially if you want to sell your silver dollar, knowing how much silver your coin has will help you determine the price you can get for your asset.
Weight Variations Across Silver Dollar Types
By now, you may have realized that there is no single answer to the question “How much does a silver dollar weigh?” From the Morgan silver dollar to the famous Eisenhower dollar, different silver dollars carry different weights.
Let us have a look at the weight variations across popular silver dollar types:
1) Morgan Silver Dollar (1878 – 1921)
The Morgan silver dollar remains the most popular silver dollar in the US. The US Mint issued these coins after the restoration of the country's bimetal minting system. The Bland-Allison Act of 1878 required the US treasury to have and use anywhere between two to four billion silver dollars every month for coinage purposes. This resulted in the need for a new coin design and the creation of the Morgan Silver Dollar.
So, how much does a Morgan silver dollar weigh?
A Morgan silver dollar weighs 26.73 grams with 0.77244 trou ounces of 90% silver in it.
2) Peace Silver Dollar (1921 – 1935)
The Peace silver dollars succeeded the Morgan silver dollars, thanks to the Pittman Act of 1918. Initially, these coins continued using the old Morgan dollar design. However, the need for a design change led to the creation of the new Peace dollars.
The US Government decided to call these coins Peace dollars to commemorate the fruitful end of the First World War.
The Peace silver dollar weighs 26.73 grams and contains .900 fine silver.
3) Seated Liberty Dollar (1840 – 1873)
1840 marked the beginning of silver dollars being issued for general circulation across the country. As the name suggests, the obverse side of these coins showcases the figure of seated Lady Liberty. As the silver prices increased, the value of silver content in these coins exceeded their face value.
The Seated Liberty dollars weigh 26.73 grams and contain 90% fine silver.
4) Trade Silver Dollar (1873 – 1885)
As you may have guessed by the name, the US Mint issued these dollars to compete with coins of the same size in other countries. While the Trade silver dollars were legal tender in the US, the Government asked the Treasury to limit coinage when the silver prices declined due to export demand. The US issued these coins mainly for circulation across Asia. It also stamped many coins circulated in the Oriental countries with Oriental characters.
The Trade silver dollars weigh 27.2 grams with 24.05 grams of bullion silver weight.
5) Eisenhower Silver Dollar (1971 – 1978)
The US Mint produced these coins to honor President Dwight D. Eisenhower as well as the country’s moon landing. This is why they contain the President’s bust on one side and depict an eagle landing on the moon on the other.
The silver-clad Eisenhower dollars (minted in San Fransisco) carry a weight of 24.624 grams.
6) Susan B. Anthony Silver Dollar (1979 – 1981, 1999)
These silver dollars are special. Replacing the Eisenhower dollars, this is the first time a woman appeared on the US coins. These coins honored Susan B. Anthony, a popular women’s suffrage leader. While the coin’s obverse side carries a right-facing portrait of Susan, its reverse side continues the moon-landing eagle from the Eisenhower dollars.
The Susan B. Anthony dollars are significantly lighter, weighing only 8.1 grams.
7) American Silver Eagle Dollar (1986 – Present)
A popular bullion silver investment, the American Silver Eagle coins contain 99.9% pure silver. Its obverse side showcases the famous "Walking Liberty" design. The silver dollar's reverse carries a bald eagle which was revised in 2021.
The American Silver Eagle dollar weighs 31.103 grams and makes for a fruitful investment vehicle.
8) Flowing Hair Silver Dollar (1794 – 1795)
Despite its short run, the Flowing Hair dollar is one of the most popular dollars in the US. These are the first dollars the US ever minted and circulated. As the early dies made it possible only to mint coins individually, it is difficult to find complete uniformity in the Flowing Hair silver dollars. Having said that, you can get a great deal for these coins if you have maintained them well.
The Flowing Hair silver dollars weigh 26.96 grams.
9) Draped Bust Silver Dollar (1795 – 1804)
These coins followed the Flowing Hair silver dollars. Just like its predecessor, the Draped Bust silver dollar also lacked uniformity. You can find multiple variations of these coins. However, they make great additions to coin collections due to their age and historical significance.
A Draped Bust silver dollar weighs 26.96 grams and contains .8924 fine silver.
10) Gobrecht Silver Dollar (1836 – 1839)
The US Government ended the suspension of silver dollar coinage in 1831. A few years later, coinage resumed in the form of Gobrecht silver dollars. The coins get their name from the engraver Christian Gobrecht who was asked by the Mint Director R.M. Peterson to prepare two dies for the dollars.
The Gobrecht silver dollars weigh between 26.73 and 26.92 grams.
Factors Affecting Silver Dollar Weight
Now that we have answered your questions along the lines of “How much does a Morgan silver dollar weigh” and what the different silver dollar weights are, let us have a look at the factors that influence the weight of a silver dollar:
Silver Content
A coin’s size and composition matter the most when it comes to its weight. Keeping all other factors constant, a coin with a higher silver content will weigh more than a coin with a low silver content. For example, the weight of a Morgan silver dollar coin depends on its 90% silver and 10% copper composition.
Wear And Tear
Proof coins and Mint State silver dollars tend to weigh more than the coins that go through wear and tear over time. As a coin wears out, it sheds its weight and loses its value (unless it carries immense historical significance or rare errors).
Counterfeiting
Counterfeiting is the sad reality every coin collector and bullion investor should know of. As counterfeit coins are made from metals other than silver, their weight will not match the standard silver dollar weight. This makes it even more important to know the standard weights of different silver dollars.
Contaminants
If a silver dollar comes in prolonged contact with contaminants, its weight may increase. If you find a coin’s weight to be more than the standard weight, make sure you assess it before buying or selling it.
The Final Word
Checking a silver dollar’s weight before buying or selling it is standard practice. If you are interested in the world of bullion metals, you should know how different silver dollars carry different weights. Before you enter the open market or work with an authentic coin dealer, it is always better to go prepared and know the standard weights of different silver dollars minted throughout the course of the US coinage history.
