Do you have an 1897 silver dollar coin and plan on selling it? Or are you looking to buy one or more of these relatively rare coins? Either way, you are probably interested in the 1897 silver dollar value.
In this article, find out everything you need to know about the 1897 silver dollar, its worth, varieties, history, and more. This guide will help you learn more about your coin and find out the price you can sell it for, or how much you can expect to pay if you want to buy it.
1897 Silver Dollar Value Details
- Category – Morgan dollar
- Mint – Philadelphia (no mint mark), New Orleans (O mint mark), San Francisco (S mint mark)
- Total mintage – 12 290 000
- Obverse designer – George T. Morgan
- Reverse designer – George T. Morgan
- Composition – 90% silver; 10% copper
- Weight – 26.73 grams (0.859 troy ounces)
- Diameter – 38.1 millimeters (1.5 inches)
Silver dollars belong to the category of Morgan dollars, minted in the United States from 1878 to 1904, and after a short pause again in 1921. Morgan dollars take their name from the designer – George T. Morgan. The 1897 silver dollars are among the more common ones in the series.
1897 silver dollars were minted in three locations – Philadelphia, New Orleans, and San Francisco. These coins have no, O, and S mint marks, respectively.
There were a total of more than 20 million silver dollars minted. They are mostly made of pure silver and contain only 10% of copper. Their composition is what makes them valuable, along with some other factors, like their condition, rarity, and overall appearance.
A single 1897 silver dollar weighs 26.73 grams and is 38.1 millimeters in diameter. The weight translates to 0.94 ounces and 0.859 troy ounces. The diameter is around 1.5 inches.
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1897 Silver Dollar Value Chart
An 1897 silver dollar is valuable in whatever condition it is, because of its high content of silver. However, the better the state of the coin, the higher its price is. Another thing that can significantly increase the value of a silver dollar is the location in which it was minted.
Refer to the chart to find out more about the approximate prices of an 1897 silver dollar coin based on its mint mark and condition.
| 1897 No Mint Mark Silver Dollar Value | 1897 O Mint Mark Silver Dollar Value | 1897 S Mint Mark Silver Dollar Value | |
| Poor | $20 – $30 | $25 – $40 | $20 – $30 |
| Fair | $25 – $40 | $30 – $45 | $25 – $40 |
| About Good | $30 – $45 | $35 – $50 | $30 – $45 |
| Good | $30 – $50 | $35 – $55 | $30 – $50 |
| Very Good | $35 – $60 | $45 – $80 | $35 – $60 |
| Fine | $40 – $80 | $60 – $120 | $40 – $80 |
| Very Fine | $50 – $100 | $80 – $160 | $50 – $100 |
| Extremely Fine | $100 – $150 | $180 – $250 | $100 – $150 |
| About Uncirculated | $150 – $250 | $300 – $500 | $150 – $250 |
| Mint State (60-63) | $300 – $500 | $600 – $1 000 | $300 – $500 |
| Mint State (64+) | $800 – $120 000 | $1 500 – $150 000 | $800 – $120 000 |
1897 Silver Dollar Value & Varieties Guide
Now that you know the approximate prices of an 1897 silver dollar coin, let’s talk about the types of this coin in more detail.
There are three types of 1897 silver dollar value, based on where the coins were minted. These are the coins with no mint mark minted in Philadelphia, coins with an O mint mark minted in New Orleans, and coins with an S mint mark minted in San Francisco.
1897 (P) No Mint Mark Silver Dollar Value
A silver dollar from 1897 minted in Philadelphia has no mint mark. In fact, the Philadelphia mint is the oldest one in the United States, and it started adding mint marks to some of the coins in 1980. Until then, all the coins minted there were without a mint mark.
This coin features a portrait of Lady Liberty on the obverse side, with the word LIBERTY inscribed above her. The edge of the coin is reeded, and there are thirteen stars representing colonies between each reed.
The reverse side of the coin has an eagle with stretched wings that holds an olive branch and arrows. The eagle is surrounded by a wreath of flowers. Above it, the words IN GOD WE TRUST are inscribed, and below UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and ONE DOLLAR.
This coin’s price ranges from $20 to some highly preserved coins worth as much as $120 000 and even more if the coin looks like it just left the factory.
- Type – Morgan Dollar
- Edge – reeded
- Mint mark – no mint mark
- Place of minting – Philadelphia
- Year of minting – 1897
- Face value – $1
- Price – $20 – $120 000
- Quantity produced – 12 290 000
- Designer – George T. Morgan
- Composition – 90% silver; 10% copper
- Mass – 26.73 grams
- Diameter – 38.1 millimeters
1897 “O” Silver Dollar Value
The 1897 silver dollar minted in New Orleans has an O mint mark. It is a rarer and therefore more sought-after version of a silver dollar minted in 1897, as only around 4 000 000 were minted in New Orleans, compared to over 12 000 000 from Philadelphia.
The 1897-O silver dollar looks much like its counterpart minted in Philadelphia. The only difference between the two is the O mint mark, located on the back of the coin, above the words ONE DOLLAR.
The price of this version of the silver dollar minted in 1897 ranges from $25 to a whopping $150 000. If the coin has a pristine and uncirculated appearance, the price can go as high as $180 000, although these coins are really rare and usually in the hands of collectors already.
However, even if you have 1897-O silver dollar coins in good, fine, or very fine condition, you can expect to make some money. Remember, this mint mark is the rarest among the 1897 silver dollar coins, and it is made of 90% silver, so its composition only is worth a lot.
- Type – Morgan Dollar
- Edge – reeded
- Mint mark – O
- Place of minting – New Orleans
- Year of minting – 1897
- Face value – $1
- Price – $25 – $150 000
- Quantity produced – 4 000 000
- Designer – George T. Morgan
- Composition – 90% silver; 10% copper
- Mass – 26.73 grams
- Diameter – 38.1 millimeters
1897 “S” Silver Dollar Value
The 1897-S is another version of the silver dollar and this one was minted in San Francisco. There were a total of almost 6 000 000 coins minted, which makes this coin relatively rare.
The appearance of the coin is the same as of its counterparts minted in different locations. There is Lady Liberty on the front and an eagle on the back. The only difference is the mint mark – San Francisco mint put an S mint mark on the back of the coins, just above the denomination.
An 1897-S silver dollar is worth around $20 if it is in poor condition. If it is preserved, pristine, and looks uncirculated, it can reach the price of $120 000. In case you got your hands on one of the better-preserved coins, you can expect to earn a lot of money selling it.
- Type – Morgan Dollar
- Edge – reeded
- Mint mark – S
- Place of minting – San Francisco
- Year of minting – 1897
- Face value – $1
- Price – $20 – $120 000
- Quantity produced – 5 884 000
- Designer – George T. Morgan
- Composition – 90% silver; 10% copper
- Mass – 26.73 grams
- Diameter – 38.1 millimeters
Also Read: Top 19 Most Valuable Morgan Dollars Worth Money
1897 Silver Dollar History
The silver dollar minted in 1897 has an interesting history. It was named by its designer, George T. Morgan. He participated in a competition held by the mint of the United States along with other 16 entries. He won the competition and had an opportunity to design this beautiful coin.
The silver dollars were minted from 1878 to 1904, and then briefly reintroduced in 1921. The silver dollars minted in 1897 are one of the most popular among fans and collectors.
The United States mint ceased using silver in coins in 1873. All of the silver coins were eliminated from circulation, but over the years, it was considered that silver played a good role in the country’s economy. This material was brought back in 1878, with Morgan’s design.
This silver dollar version’s history is particularly interesting when it comes to the New Orleans mint. This mint was decommissioned in 1909, and all of the equipment was moved to the Philadelphia mint.
However, somewhere in the 1960s, a group of coins minted in 1897 was found in the mint’s basement. They were in mint condition but forgotten for more than half a decade. They were sold to investors and collectors and are a part of what is known as a New Orleans hoard.
The 1897 silver dollar can cost anywhere between $20 and $150 000. The price largely depends on the mint mark, rarity, condition, and collectors’ interest.
Many of the 1897 coins are already in the collectors’ and museums’ hands. While there are millions of them in total, it may be difficult to actually find them if you don’t spend money on them. If you did get lucky and find some while metal-detecting, sell carefully.
Check the price on more than one location because if you are not experienced, someone can easily make you think that your coin is worth a lot less than it actually is.
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1897 Silver Dollar Grading
Grading of the 1897 silver dollar is most commonly based on Sheldon’s 70-point scale. The coin is evaluated based on its condition, from poor to perfect.
The perfect value is very difficult to get. Getting 70 points would basically mean that the coin just left the factory, doesn’t have any errors, and is perfect in every way.
List of 1897 Silver Dollar Errors
Just like every factory-made coin, the 1897 silver dollar can have one or more errors. The most common ones in this particular coin are repunched mint marks, double dies, off-center strikes, and clashed dies.
1. 1897 silver dollar repunched mint marks
This error implies that the coin has two or more mint marks on the backside. This happens in factory settings when the mint marks on the coins are mistakenly punched more than once.
Of course, since the silver dollars minted in Philadelphia don’t contain a mint mark, this error doesn’t apply to them. However, repunched mint marks can be often found on silver dollars minted in 1897 in New Orleans and San Francisco.
2. 1897 silver dollar double dies
Double dies happen when the die is applied to a coin more than once. This results in some parts of the coin being doubled or even tripled. You need to carefully inspect your coin to notice this error. It can affect the cost of your silver dollar, so double-check before selling it.
3. 1897 silver dollar off-center strikes
The coin needs to be perfectly aligned with the press in the factory to get the perfect end appearance. Sometimes, the coin is a bit miss centered, so the die isn’t applied evenly.
4. 1897 silver dollar clashed die
When a coin is made, two dies need to press on the blank coin, also known as planchet, to make an obverse and reverse picture. When there is no planchet in between the dies, they can hit each other, resulting in the next coin with an error.
This error usually includes a pale design of the opposite side of the coin on its correct side. Sometimes this error is not easily seen, so use a magnifying glass to see if your coin has it.
1897 Silver Dollar FAQ
How do you know if your silver dollars are valuable?
All silver dollars are valuable! It’s as simple as that. Silver is a material valuable by itself, so if you have a silver dollar coin, you will be able to sell it for at least the price of silver it contains.
Where is the mint mark on the 1897 Morgan silver dollar?
The mint mark is located on the reverse of an 1897 silver dollar. It is engraved just above the words ONE DOLLAR. If you don’t see a mint mark, it probably means that your silver dollar was minted in Philadelphia, a mint that didn’t use mint marks at the time.
1897 no mark
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