1900 Silver Dollar Value Guide

The 1900 Silver Dollar Value

The 1900-O/CC is by far the most valuable of the circulation-strike coins. It is at least 3 times more valuable than the others.  

The regular 1900 silver dollars minted in Philadelphia and New Orleans have comparable values across the grades. 

Those minted in San Francisco hold consistently higher value than Philadelphia and New Orleans across all grades.

Prooflike and deep (mirror) prooflike are more valuable than regular circulation-strike coins. Those from San Francisco are the most valuable of these.

The 1900 proof strikes are the most valuable of the bunch.

An N/A for a value below indicates no publicly known examples of that version of the 1900 silver dollar with that grade, or no value information (or not enough) exists for it yet.

Additionally, all values are conservative estimates based on research. Please note all values are subject to change due to the market or circumstances unaccounted for during research and publication. We always recommend doing further research or consulting with a professional.

Melt Value

The 1900 silver dollar’s melt value is approximately $17. The melt value will fluctuate with the market.

Circulation Strike Value Chart

	Coin Names And Coin Values
Grade Names	1900 Silver Dollar	1900-O Silver Dollar	1900-O/CC Silver Dollar	1900-S Silver Dollar
Good – G	$35	$35	$92	$41
Very Good – VG	$37	$37	$112	$44
Fine – F	$38	$38	$135	$47
Very Fine – VF	$42	$42	$158	$54
Extra Fine – XF	$49	$49	$243	$80
About Uncirculated – AU	$52-$66	$52-$66	$300-$445	$137-$337
Mint State – MS	$72-$19,000 (67+)	$72-$9,000 (67+)	$490-$56,000 (67+)	$412-$32,000 (67)

Circulation Strike Prooflike (PL) Value Chart

	Coin Names And Coin Values
Grade Names	1900 Prooflike Silver Dollar	1900-O Prooflike Silver Dollar	1900-S Prooflike Silver Dollar
MS 60 PL	$132	$100	$450
MS 61 PL	$155	$142	$487
MS 62 PL	$205	$157	$530
MS 63 PL	$512	$190	$750
MS 64 PL	$850	$272	$1,200
MS 65 PL	$3,500	$550	$3,000
MS 66 PL	$7,300	$1,500	$7,300
MS 67 PL	N/A	$7,000	$56,000
MS 68 PL	N/A	N/A	N/A
MS 69 PL	N/A	N/A	N/A
MS 70 PL	N/A	N/A	N/A

Circulation Strike Deep (Mirror) Prooflike (DPL/DMPL) Value Chart

	Coin Names And Coin Values
Grade Names	1900 Deep (Mirror) Prooflike Silver Dollar	1900-O Deep (Mirror) Prooflike Silver Dollar	1900-S Deep (Mirror) Prooflike Silver Dollar
MS 60 DPL/DMPL	N/A	$150	N/A
MS 61 DPL/DMPL	N/A	$275	N/A
MS 62 DPL/DMPL	N/A	$412	$3,200
MS 63 DPL/DMPL	$3,100	$925	$7,300
MS 64 DPL/DMPL	$8,200	$1,600	$13,000
MS 65 DPL/DMPL	$38,000	$7,500	$28,000
MS 66 DPL/DMPL	N/A	$27,000	N/A
MS 67 DPL/DMPL	N/A	N/A	N/A
MS 68 DPL/DMPL	N/A	N/A	N/A
MS 69 DPL/DMPL	N/A	N/A	N/A
MS 70 DPL/DMPL	N/A	N/A	N/A

Proof Strike (PR) Value Chart

1900 Proof Silver Dollar
Grade Names	Coin Values
PR 50	$1,000
PR 53	$1,100
PR 55	$1,300
PR 58	$1,600
PR 60	$2,300
PR 61	$2,500
PR 62	$2,800
PR 63	$4,200
PR 64	$4,900
PR 65	$7,000
PR 66	$10,000
PR 67	$24,000
PR 68	$48,000
PR 69	N/A
PR 70	N/A

Cameo (CA/CAM) Proof Strike (PR) Value Chart

1900 Cameo Proof Silver Dollar
Grade Names	Coin Values
PR 60 CA/CAM	N/A
PR 61 CA/CAM	$3,500
PR 62 CA/CAM	$4,100
PR 63 CA/CAM	$5,000
PR 64 CA/CAM	$6,300
PR 65 CA/CAM	$8,500
PR 66 CA/CAM	$13,000
PR 67 CA/CAM	$30,000
PR 68 CA/CAM	$51,000
PR 69 CA/CAM	N/A
PR 70 CA/CAM	N/A

Ultra/Deep Cameo (UC/DCAM) Proof Strike (PR) Value Chart

1900 Ultra/Deep Cameo Proof Silver Dollar
Grade Names	Coin Values
PR 60 UC/DCAM	N/A
PR 61 UC/DCAM	N/A
PR 62 UC/DCAM	N/A
PR 63 UC/DCAM	$6,600
PR 64 UC/DCAM	$8,500
PR 65 UC/DCAM	$12,000
PR 66 UC/DCAM	$21,000
PR 67 UC/DCAM	$48,000
PR 68 UC/DCAM	$75,000
PR 69 UC/DCAM	N/A
PR 70 UC/DCAM	N/A

What Makes A 1900 Silver Dollar Valuable?

Various things, such as mint marks, die varieties, strike types, and errors, can all add value to your coin. 

Let’s start with grading.

Grading

The 1900 silver dollar has a wide variety of grades readily available. As with any coin, the higher the grade, the more the coin will be worth.

Circulation-strike coin grades range from ungradable to mint state 70. 

Prooflike and deep (mirror) prooflike coins have grades from 60 to 70. However, some don’t meet the usual standards and are sometimes lower than 60.

The highest-graded coins will be well-struck, have good luster, and very little sign of wear. 

The lower grades (which have usually spent time in circulation) show signs of fading and wear. 

However, even the lowest grades of the 1900 silver dollar are worth $35 and more. 

Rarity

The Mint minted 1900 silver dollars approximately 24,960,912 times across all of its versions. Please see the following list for the breakdown for each version:

• 1900: 8,830,000^1-2
• 1900-O: 12,590,000^3-4
• 1900-O/CC: Part of the 1900-O mintage^5-6
• 1900-S: 3,540,000^7-8
• 1900 Proof: 912^15-16

Due to the continual release of coins from the U.S. Treasury hoards over several decades, the 1900 silver dollar is not rare. 

The 1900-O/CC is the rarest and most valuable of the circulation-strike versions. Proof-strike coins are usually rarer as few were minted, and few survived.   

Mint Marks

The U.S. Mint minted the 1900 silver dollars in 3 different locations:

• Philadelphia (no mint mark)^1-2
• New Orleans (“O” mint mark)^3-4
• San Francisco (“S” mint mark)^7-8

The 1900-O/CC version minted in New Orleans is the most valuable. This is then followed by those minted in San Francisco. Philadelphia and New Orleans are comparable at the lower grades. But Philadelphia is more valuable at the higher mint-state grades. 

Proof versions were only minted in Philadelphia and, therefore, have no mint mark.

Strike Types

There are 2 strike types for the 1900 silver dollar: circulation and proof.^19-20

Graded from 60 to 70, proof-strike coins are more valuable than circulation-strikes. This is because fewer exist, and greater care is taken in the minting process. 

However, proof coins can sometimes have a grade lower than 60. These are “impaired” proofs and are worth less. This can happen because they may have been circulated or show signs of wear and do not meet the usually high quality of a proof-struck coin.

This is the case for many 1900 proof silver dollars, which have been graded lower than 60.   

Cameo and deep/ultra cameo proof versions of the 1900 silver dollar also exist. 

Design Variations

The 1900 silver dollar has no design variations.

Special Designations

Prooflike and deep (mirror) prooflike are the 2 special designations for the 1900 silver dollar.^2,4,8-14

These are circulation-strike coins that show some qualities of proof coins. 

Often, the first coins struck with new or newly polished dies exhibit greater quality than those struck later. Or sometimes, the planchet happens to have a mirrored appearance prior to striking. 

This gives these coins a better appearance than regular circulation coins. Therefore, they are designated prooflike and deep (mirror) prooflike.

Error Coins 

Error coins can sometimes increase the coin’s value because it becomes unique and thus more desirable. However, not all errors increase the value. 

Both struck-through errors and partial collar errors raise the value of a coin.^33-34 

While lamination errors are known for the 1900 silver dollar, they don’t always increase the value.³⁵ 

Die Varieties

The most notable variety of the 1900 silver dollar is the 1900-O/CC.^5-6 

This is a New Orleans coin with a Carson City “CC” mint mark. This mistake was corrected with the “O” mint mark being punched over the top. However, the “CC” is still very visible. 

This is the most valuable version for this year.

How this coin came about is uncertain. But what is certain is that Carson City (the “CC” mint mark) did not mint silver dollars in 1900. 

Some theories suggest that Philadelphia sent old dies to New Orleans or that the Carson City mint mark was mistakenly punched into several dies.  

Whatever the reason for this mistake, thousands of coins were minted in this fashion, and it has become a desirable coin for any collector. 

VAM varieties are also popular with collectors. Here are some to look out for:

• 1900 VAM-16 (2 olives, 900 in denticles)²²
• 1900-S VAM-5A (near date, die break, high mint mark)²³

Composition

Made of 90% silver, the 1900 silver dollar will always be worth its weight in silver. 

However, we advise against melting your coin. Even though the market price of silver fluctuates, you will get more money from selling your coin than from melting it.   

How Do You Know If You Have A Valuable 1900 Silver Dollar?

The best way to know if you have a valuable 1900 silver dollar (or any coin) and to get that value out of it is to have it professionally certified.

However, you can look for many elements to get you started in determining what coin you have.

Let’s start with grading.

Grading

As such a wide variety of grades are available, for the 1900 silver dollar, you will want to look for higher mint-state grades. 

Look for coins that have been clearly struck, have few scratches, and a nice luster. These coins will be worth more.  

Mint Marks

Look at the reverse of your coin. Below the bow of the laurel wreath is where you will find the mint mark.

There are two mint marks for the 1900 silver dollar.

The “O” mint mark is from New Orleans. The “S” mint mark is from San Francisco. The coins minted in Philadelphia have no mint mark.

Strike Types

Proof-strike 1900 silver dollars will be of noticeably better quality than their circulation-strike counterparts. They will have very few imperfections, clean details, and a mirror-like finish. 

Cameo versions exhibit a good contrast between the field’s mirroring and the device’s frosting (such as Lady Liberty).  

Deep/ultra cameo versions show even greater mirroring on the fields and heavier frosting on the devices. These are usually the most valuable as there are fewer of them.

However, if your proof coin shows signs of wear or imperfections, it may be an “impaired” proof and graded lower than 60. 

Design Variations

The 1900 silver dollar has no design variations.

Special Designations

For prooflike and deep (mirror) prooflike coins, remember that these are still circulation-strike coins. 

They will be well-struck and show reflectivity but not have the other characteristics of proof coins.  

The 1900 prooflike silver dollars minted in Philadelphia are sometimes one-sided and not of high quality.^1,9,12 However, the deep (mirror) prooflike coins from this Mint are much rarer, so look out for these.   

Error Coins

Here are some tips to get you started identifying some known errors of the 1900 silver dollar.

Struck-Through Error

This error can come in different forms depending on what was struck through to the coin. Sometimes, it is debris that gets between the die and the planchet. Other times, it can be an object like a wire.

As it can occur anywhere on the coin’s surface, take a close look all over your coin. 

Whatever was struck through to the coin leaves an impression that isn’t supposed to be there. So, distinct marks, lines, or grooves can indicate a struck-through error.

Partial Collar Errors

If a coin is struck when it isn’t fully contained in its collar, it can create errors around the rim and edge of the coin.

The 3 different types of partial collar errors are known as:

• Straight partial collars on reeded edges: also known as “railroad rims,” you want to look for 2 lines around your coin’s rim 
• Tilted partial collars: often referred to as “steps,” look for raised ridges around the edge of your coin 
• Partial collars on non-reeded edge: also known as “wagon wheels,” look around the edge of your coin for plain metal 

Lamination Errors 

This error can happen before or during striking. 

It is an error with the planchet. So you want to look across the field of your coin for anything that may look like cracks or streaks.  

This error doesn’t necessarily increase the value of your coin. 

Die Varieties

Below are some ideas to get you started with identifying some of the varieties for the 1900 silver dollar. 

1900-O/CC

For this variety, look at your coin’s reverse side.^5-6 Below the bow of the laurel wreath, you will find the mint mark. 

On either side of the “O” mint mark, you will see the outside edges of the original “CC” mint mark. 

You may find that a loupe or some form of magnification is helpful when looking at the mint mark. 

1900 VAM-16

For this variety, look at the reverse of your coin.²² There will be an extra olive on the right-hand side of the normal olive. Look for doubling along the bottom of the olive branch.

Look at the denticles below the date on the obverse side of your coin. You can see curved lines from a mispunched “900” in the gaps between the denticles.   

1900-S VAM-5A

On the obverse side of your coin, look at the “ER” of “Liberty.” There will be clear lines present from die polishing.²³

There is a die crack above the date and right-hand stars, as well as on the lower portion of Lady Liberty’s hair. 

The position of the date will also be closer than normal to the denticles. Look for doubling on the last “0.” 

On the reverse side of your coin, you will see a clear crack running along the top of “America.” This is from a die crack.

The mint mark is slightly higher than usual. 

How To Spot The Fake 1900-O VAM-5 Silver Dollar (And Others)

The 1900 silver dollar has an interesting forgery: the 1900-O VAM-5.

Counterfeited coins do not often get their own VAM variety. It’s even less often that they end up on top VAM lists. But that’s the testament to the 1900-O VAM-5’s convincing appearance.

The most important indicator of the counterfeited 1900-O VAM-5 is the “micro O.” This is a very small rounded “O” mint mark on the coin’s reverse side. It is placed higher than normal and clearly tilted to the right.

On the coin’s obverse side, you will see the date set very far to the left and close to the tip of Liberty’s neck.

The forgery was so convincing that it took until the early 2000s for it to be acknowledged as one (along with others such as the 1886-O and 1902-O, which also use the “micro O” mint mark).

It is believed that these forgeries were independently struck sometime in the first half of the 20th Century. All 3 share the same reverse.

Despite acknowledging the 1900-O VAM-5 as a forged Morgan dollar, it continues to be popular with collectors.

Other 1900 forgeries include the 1900-O VAM-22C1 and 22C2, 1900-O VAM-52, and 1900-O VAM-59.

^{Sources: 26-30}

Additional Information About The 1900 Silver Dollar

History

In 1876, the U.S. Mint employed engraver George T. Morgan. In 1878, the Mint Director chose Morgan’s designs for the silver dollar coin, and the Morgan silver dollar was born. 

This Morgan series ran from 1878 to 1904, and for 1 year in 1921. It returned in 2021 as a collectible proof-strike coin. 

The 1900 silver dollars, like many of the prior years, were surplus mintage. Many of the coins minted never went into circulation but went straight into storage at the various Mints. 

They were released from the U.S. Treasury hoards over several decades from the 1930s to the 1960s. 

^{Sources: 1-8,19-20,32}

The Coin’s Obverse Side

Lady Liberty is in the center of the 1900 silver dollar’s obverse side. She wears a headband, flowers, and a Phrygian cap. The Phrygian cap, also known as the liberty cap, symbolizes liberty.

Circling the coin’s rim above her head is “E Pluribus Unum.” This is the motto of the United States of America and is Latin for “Out of many, one.”

Circling the coin’s rim below Liberty are 13 stars, 7 on the left and 6 on the right. In the center is the year “1900.”

^{Sources: 1-2}

The Coin’s Reverse Side

An eagle features in the middle of the 1900 silver dollar’s reverse side. It has raised wings and holds 3 arrows and an olive branch.

Above its head are the words “In God We Trust.” Below the eagle is a laurel wreath tied with a bow. 

If a mint mark is present, it will be below the bow. Those minted in New Orleans will feature an “O” mint mark. Those minted in San Francisco will have an “S” mint mark. 

Around the coin’s rim is “United States of America” at the top and “One Dollar” at the bottom. One star separates these two on each side. 

^{Sources: 1-4,7-8}

Sources

1900 Silver Dollar Value Guide Sources