It's a common and understandable question that gets to the very heart of what makes this coin so iconic. While the coin is famously called the Morgan Silver Dollar, the "Morgan" it refers to is not the person depicted on its face, but rather the brilliant artist who designed it, George T. Morgan. He was an English-born engraver at the U.S. Mint who brought this legendary coin to life.
The beautiful face you see on the front of the coin is a representation of Lady Liberty. However, what makes this depiction truly special is that Morgan broke from tradition. Instead of using a classical Greek-style goddess for his model, he was determined to find a real American woman whose profile could capture the spirit of the nation. He wanted a face that was both strong and graceful, embodying the ideals of liberty in a modern, relatable way.
Through a friend, the celebrated artist Thomas Eakins, Morgan was introduced to a young Philadelphia schoolteacher named Anna Willess Williams. Morgan was immediately captivated, describing her profile as the most perfect he had ever seen. After some convincing, as she was reluctant to pose and wished to remain anonymous, Williams sat for Morgan five times in 1876. Her likeness was immortalized as the face of Lady Liberty. Though her identity was eventually revealed, leading to unwanted fame, her profile remains one of the most recognized and beloved images in American currency. So, the Morgan Dollar beautifully combines the legacy of its designer with the timeless profile of an everyday American woman.
