What are Morgan Dollar errors? Morgan dollars are considered the most popular U.S. coin among collectors and investors, meaning many are on the market.
However, as with any other coin, Morgan dollars have their share of errors that affect their value.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some common Morgan dollar errors, such as “spitting eagle” coins (1891-CC) and “donkey tails” (1887-P).
We’ll also discuss how these errors affect your coin’s value so you can make an informed decision when investing in a rare piece like this!
What Are Morgan Dollar Errors?
A Morgan dollar error is a coin that has been struck incorrectly and, therefore, considered valuable.
Unfortunately, these coins are often scarce and can sell for thousands of dollars.
This article will cover the Morgan dollar errors you might encounter when purchasing one at your local coin shop or an online auction site.
There are several varieties of errors that can be found on Morgan dollars.
First, there is an overdate error where two dates are stamped on each other during production; these coins are precious because they are so rare!
Another type of error involves doubling—this happens when two images appear side-by-side on one side or both sides of a coin.
It may look like there was only one image, but there’s not enough room for both images, so they overlap each other, creating a new picture altogether!
Lastly, die cracks happen due to wear from striking thousands upon thousands of coins over time until, eventually, cracks start forming around edges, creating little holes within designs and words written underneath them (such as LIBERTY).
The 1891-CC “Spitting Eagle.”
The most famous Morgan dollar error is the “Spitting Eagle” variety.
It’s also one of the rarest and most valuable, not just because of its rarity.
The glob identifies the Spitting Eagle under the eagle’s open beak on the coin’s reverse side.
The 1887-P “Alligator Eye.”
The “Alligator Eye” is a Morgan Dollar error known as die-doubling.
This coin is die-doubled so that a secondary image is visible in front of her eye.
Since the vertical line, it created the effect of having an alligator eye.
The 1887-P “Donkey Tail.”
The “donkey tail” coin is a Morgan Dollar with a die-break error. There is damage on the reverse side of the coin.
The letter “D” on the word “DOLLAR” has a cud under it. It is similar to the Spitting Eagle; the coin lumps due to an error in the minting process.
Before you go…
These are just a few of the varieties of Morgan dollars that can be found. You can find more resources on our website or search eBay for coins within your budget.
Check out my next article: “Top 9: Rare Peace Dollars!“
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HELLO AND THANK YOU FOR A MOMENT OF YOUR VALUABLE TIME. I HOPE THIS MESSAGE FINDS YOU AND YOURS WELL.
I AM A 62 YEAR OLD DISABLED MAN.RECENTLY I HAD A VERY INVASIVE BURGLARY IN WHICH I LOST MORE THAN 80 MORGANS 12 OF WHICH WERE 1881 CC’S ALL AT MINIMUM MS60. I LOST MANY OTHER ITEMS TOO,
WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF 3 OF THE 7 COINS DROPPED BY THE SCUM ,THAT TOOK YEARS OF SAVING, ARE ERROR COINS? PRETTY SLIM I’D SAY. SO, WHAT I HAVE IS A 1882 NO MINT MARK BU DIE ERROR.THE EAGLE IS UPSIDE DOWN.EXACTYLY UPSIDE DOWN. THE 2ND AND PROBABLY RAREST IS A1912 QUARTER EAGLE WITH THE SAME EXACT DIE EROR.THE EAGLE IS UPSIDE DOWN.LASTLY A CIRCULATED 1933 WALKING LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR AND YOU GUESSED IT,THE EAGLE IS UPSIDE DOWN.IN ADDITION TO THESE FEW COINS,I RECENTLY BOUGHT 6 MORGANS WITH ONE BEING A 1893 I SWEAR IT WILL GRADE MS64. THE 5 OTHER COINS I TOOK OUT OF THEIR BOGUSNRATING CASES..MARKED MS68. THEY LOOKLKEN SOMEBODY TOOK SANDPAPER TO THEM.
TO GET TO MY POINT.I CANNOT FIND ONE MENTION ANYWHERE ABOUT THIS ERROR, ANYWHERE EXEPT THERE WAS ANOTHER QUARTER FOUND WITH THE EAGLE UPSIDE DOWN THAT ONE WAS A 1925……………….CAN YOU PROVIDE SOME VALUES FORNTHESE COINS PLEASE.THE 1893 CC MS64 LAST SOLD FOR $171k I BELIEVE AT MORPHYS IN 2017.I’D RATHER NOT SELL THAT ONE BUT,WILL PROBABLY SELL THEM ALL SO I CAN REPLACE MY COLLECTION.I HAVE REPLACEMENT VALUE INSURANCE BUT CAN ONLY PROVE A PORTION OF WHAT I LOST. I CAN PROVE THE 70 MORGANS 12 BEING 1881 CC’S I PUT THEIR VALUE AT $7200.I HOPE I HAVEN’T UNDERPRICED THEM. THE REMAIING 58 I PUT AT $4950
THANK YOU.I HOPE YOU CAN PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT AND VALUE OF THIS UPSIDE DOWN EAGLES. GREGORY THOMAS
I have an 1882 Morgan Dollar. It has In God we Trust Copy and a S over the O. What is the value in great condition?
Hi Sharon,
We have created a community to discuss this further. You can check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1017945132681434