1889: The World Around This Coin
The nation marked the centennial of George Washington's first inauguration in 1889. Before the year ended, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington had all entered the Union.
The 1889 Morgan Dollar belongs to the early run of George T. Morgan's silver-dollar design, first issued in 1878 after the Bland-Allison Act directed the Treasury to purchase silver and coin it into dollars.
Coin and Mint Details
- The U.S. Mint struck Morgan Dollars from 1878 through 1904 and once more in 1921.
- The mint remains unstated because the available item evidence does not support a confident attribution.
- The design pairs Liberty on the obverse with an eagle, arrows, olive branch, and wreath on the reverse.
- Coins could remain in bank storage, circulate in commerce, or be saved by families and collectors.
A Possible Journey*
The exact path of this coin is unknown. A coin like it may have crossed a counter, rested in a bank bag, traveled in a pocket, or waited in a collection before reaching its next keeper.
* The dated history above is factual context. The possible journey is an illustrative scene, not documented provenance for this exact item.