1883 Morgan Dollar

The 1883 Morgan Dollar was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1883 and is part of the Morgan Dollar series.

Specifications

 * Designer: George T. Morgan
 * Obverse Design: Lady Liberty
 * Reverse Design: Eagle holding arrows and olive branch
 * Edge: Reeded
 * Weight: 26.73 grams
 * Diameter: 38.1 millimeters
 * Composition: Silver (90%), Copper (10%)
 * Mintage: Circulation Strikes: est. 12,290,000
 * Proof Mintage: est. 1,039

Background
The 1883 Morgan was produced in healthy numbers, over 12 million, and released into circulation immediately. You'll therefore find many examples that have circulated heavily. This is a "common date" and can be added to your collection after a short search.

Collecting
Many examples were obviously struck quickly so some care is needed when selecting a coin. Begin by separating the sharp from weak strikes then looking for wear.

Of all the Morgan dollars struck in the 1880s, the 1883 is most available ---except for the 1881-S, 1888 and 1889. For this reason, the budget-conscious Morgan Dollar series collector can begin a good 1880 collection with the 1883 as a starting point.

Historical Background in 1883
The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires begins service in Roselle, New Jersey (it was built by Thomas Edison).

On May 5, construction of the Swanage Railway begins, a 6-mile (9.7 km) long heritage railway in the Purbeck district of Dorset, England. And on May 24th, the Brooklyn Bridge, one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States, is opened to traffic after 13 years of construction (a rumor, on May 30th, that the Brooklyn Bridge is going to collapse causes a stampede which crushes 12 people).

On July 4th, of 1883, the world's first rodeo is held in Pecos, Texas. The rodeo was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States, western Canada, and northern Mexico.

Die Varieties
There are over a dozen die varieties from which to choose ---though none of these have especially caught the attention of a wide-range of collectors.