History of the 1879-CC Morgan Dollar
The 1879-CC is the second-rarest Carson City Morgan after the 1889-CC, and unlike many CC dates it was NOT well represented in the government’s GSA hoard — fewer than 4,200 pieces appeared there, against hundreds of thousands for dates like 1882–84 CC.
The date comes in two flavors: the normal clear CC and the "capped die" variety, where a rusted, lapped die left the mint mark looking mushy and encircled. Both are expensive; the clear CC brings more.
The 1879-CC Morgan was struck in 1879 in 90% silver. Each coin weighs 26.73 grams. Production took place at Carson City (CC), with 756,000 struck.
How much is an 1879-CC Morgan worth?
Prices for the 1879-CC Morgan move with the collector market and with the price of precious metals. Use the ranges below as a starting point for problem-free examples, not as a guarantee.
Printed price guides age quickly. The most honest benchmark is what comparable coins actually sold for, which is why CoinVault Pro shows live values built on Numista catalog data and real eBay sold results whenever it identifies a coin.
- Good–Very Good: $150–$250
- Fine–Very Fine: $300–$500
- Extremely Fine: $700–$1,100
- MS-63: $4,000–$6,000
How to identify a genuine 1879-CC Morgan Dollar
Before you get excited about a potential find, confirm that the coin in your hand matches the genuine article. Work through this checklist:
When a coin fails any of these checks, treat it with suspicion. Modern counterfeits can be convincing at arm's length, but weight, dimensions and die details rarely lie.
- The capped-die (rusted mint mark) variety shows a blobby CC — attribution affects price.
- This date is a prime target for added mint marks; certification is strongly advised.
- Surfaces on genuine VF+ examples show normal bag abrasion — beware unnaturally smooth fields.
Check your 1879-CC Morgan with CoinVault Pro
The fastest way to find out what you have is to photograph the coin with CoinVault Pro. The app identifies it using Gemini AI combined with Coin-CLIP image matching, estimates a grade on the full Sheldon 1–70 scale, and shows live market values built on Numista catalog data and real eBay sold prices.
From there you can add the coin to your collection, track its value over time, put upgrades on your wishlist, or list it on the in-app marketplace with escrow protection. The app is free to download on iOS and Android.