The Trade dollar was heavier than the standard silver dollar and explicitly advertised its silver content for commerce in East Asia.
Business strikes were made from 1873 through 1878; proof production continued through 1885. Chop-marked coins belong to the circulation story, while 1884–1885 demand exceptional scrutiny.
Core specifications
- Issue period
- 1873–1885
- Catalog mints
- 3
- Reported catalog mintage
- 35,965,939
- Composition
- 90% Silver - 10% Copper
- Diameter
- 38.1 mm
- Weight
- 27.22 g
A coin designed to compete overseas
Congress authorized the Trade dollar as the United States sought a stronger place in Asian bullion trade. Its reverse states 420 GRAINS and 900 FINE so merchants could read the silver standard directly.
Many pieces were tested and stamped by merchants. Later legal-tender changes, domestic circulation, and proof-only years created a series whose history is more complicated than its short date span.
Obverse, reverse, and the details that identify the type
Confirm the major design, date, and mint mark before studying smaller die differences.
The main portrait and date
Liberty sits on goods at a harbor, extending an olive branch toward the sea—an explicit image of overseas commerce.
Denomination, subject, and mint mark
An eagle holds arrows and an olive branch above TRADE DOLLAR, with weight and fineness spelled out around the lower field.
Where the cataloged coins were made
Totals are calculated from reported issue records in this catalog; unknown figures are not counted as zero.
- S — San Francisco: 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878; 26,647,000. Confirm the S mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
- P — Philadelphia: 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885; 5,107,539. Philadelphia issues commonly carry no P mint mark in classic series; confirm the expected blank area rather than searching for a letter.
- CC — Carson City: 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878; 4,211,400. Confirm the CC mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
Representative issues that explain the series
Choose whether your collection treats chop marks as trade evidence, damage, or a separate specialty, and apply that rule consistently.
- 1873 CC — 124,500. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1878 P - Proof Only — 900. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1884 P - Proof Only — 10. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1885 P - Proof Only — 5. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
Issue catalog
From one type coin to a complete catalog
- One representative coin: Choose one problem-free, readable example and learn the size, edge, and major design.
- Major-type set: Use one coin per major design to show changes in artwork, composition, or production.
- Dates and mints: Work through the issue catalog by date and mint, defining special finishes separately.
A note on catalog records
This page uses 38 issue records, 0 modeled varieties, and currently reported mintages; unknown values remain unknown.
Sources
- The Coinage Act of 1873 and the ‘Crime of 1873’ — United States Mint
- Dollar Coins and Their History — United States Mint
- The Evolution of Liberty on U.S. Coins — United States Mint
- Trade Dollar category reference — PCGS CoinFacts