what is a morgan dollar made of

[ReeseAnn]

The Morgan dollar is a composite coin made from a specific alloy of precious and base metals. According to numismatic and historical records, all Morgan dollars were struck from a composition of 90% fine silver and 10% copper. This particular alloy was standard for United States silver coinage of the era, with the copper being added to increase the coin's hardness and durability for regular circulation.

Each Morgan dollar contains a total silver weight of 0.77344 troy ounces. The legislative mandate for the production of these silver coins stemmed from the Bland–Allison Act, which required the United States Treasury to purchase several million dollars' worth of silver each month for the express purpose of coining it into dollars. This policy was later modified by the Sherman Silver Purchase Act before its eventual repeal. The consistent metallic composition, however, remained a defining characteristic of the coin throughout its production history.