An 1882 Morgan silver dollar

Last week, we had an exciting gift in our visitor contribution box—an 1882 Morgan silver dollar!  The Morgan silver dollar was minted from 1878 to 1904 and again in 1921. Our gift was minted in Philadelphia and is in very fine condition. When minted, these coins had incredible purchasing power. A single dollar would allow you to sail from New York to Boston, and cowboys and railroad workers received these dollars as payment for a hard day’s work. It was a treat to find this unusual contribution, and we’d like to thank the anonymous donor!

Susan J. Nichols, Chief Operating Officer and Roberto Alcaraz, Museum Assistant