1 Dollar "Trade Dollar" (1885) — United States

Overview

One of the most famous rarities in American numismatics, the 1885 Proof-only "Trade Dollar" of the United States. Secretly produced at the Philadelphia Mint, only 5 examples are known to exist.

Specifications

Country

United States

Year

1885

Composition

Silver (.900) (.100 copper)

Weight

27.22 g

Diameter

38.1 mm

Mint

United States Mint of Philadelphia

Shape

Round

Technique

Milled

References

KM# 108, PCGS# 7031-7048, 7053-7065

Issuer

United States

Design details

Collector insights

• Design heritage: William Barber is credited as the designer for the Standard circulation coins series. Designer attribution helps distinguish this issue from later restrikes or unofficial copies that reuse only the motif.
• Struck at: United States Mint of Philadelphia. Confirm the mintmark on your example before comparing prices — same-year issues from different mints often trade at very different levels.
• Low mintage: Only 5 pieces reported. This puts the issue into key-date territory for its series; expect steep grade-based price scaling and a higher counterfeit risk — provenance and third-party grading matter.
• Precious metal content: Silver (.900) (.100 copper) — bullion value provides a price floor, and many circulated examples were melted during the 1979–1980 and post-2010 silver spikes, reducing the surviving population.
• Catalogue reference: Listed as KM# 108, PCGS# 7031-7048, 7053-7065. Use this reference code when cross-checking auction archives, dealer inventories, and standard printed catalogues.

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Explore more

Browse more items in the full catalog or view United States in the country guide.