The Morgan Silver Dollar's obverse features a left-facing portrait of Miss Liberty. The reverse depicts a somewhat scrawny eagle which led some to vilify the coin as a "buzzard dollar." The designer's initial M appears on both sides-a first. It's on the truncation of Liberty's neck and on the ribbon's left loop on the reverse. Mintmarks (O, S, D, and CC) are found below the wreath on the reverse. Points to check for wear on Morgans are the hair above Liberty's eye and ear, the high upper fold of her cap and the crest of the eagle's breast.

Few coins in U.S. history have been greeted with more indifference at the time of their release than this silver dollar. And few, if any, have then gone on to stimulate such passionate excitement among collectors.

Major varieties include the 8 Tail Feathers reverse, 7 Tail Feathers reverse, 7/8 Tail Feathers reverse and Reverse of 1879. Among Proofs, the 1878 7 Tail Feathers, Reverse of 1879 is the rarest.