How Much Does a Silver Dollar Weigh Vs. A Silver Round?

If you’re a silver bullion stacker, I’m sure you’ve wondered “how much does a silver dollar weigh vs. a silver round?” or “how much a silver dollar worth?” or “how much is a silver round worth?” There are several factors that help to determine the value of a silver bullion coin. The purity of the silver is one important consideration, and the design, year, and mintmark of a coin all also play their own parts in creating a coin’s overall value to collectors. Especially for new collectors, the overall weight and silver-specific weight of a coin is the first thing to look for when identifying how valuable it might be.

How much does a silver dollar weigh? And what about a silver round?

Like most things in the bullion valuation sector, the answer depends on a few different things. To start, you’ve got to first get a solid idea of the exact type of silver dollar you’re dealing with. The most common silver dollars in the United States are Morgan silver dollars. The 1921 Morgan Silver Dollar was minted a striking 90 million different times alone! But you might have a different or rarer type of silver dollar, so we’ll be sure to run you through a list of how much different silver dollars and silver rounds weigh. But silver dollars and silver rounds are not minted with the same purity of silver and vary in precise silver content. Some coins may weigh more in total, but contain less actual silver bullion. If you’re selling junk or cull coins for silver scrap, the exact amount of silver is the most important thing to consider. Getting an estimate for how much silver is in a silver dollar can help you get the most out of each silver coin you have. Silver rounds are quite a bit more pure than silver dollars. Silver rounds are minted with 999 fine silver and silver dollars are minted with with 90% silver 10% copper nickel alloy.  There are many different types of silver rounds; everything from their design to their striking/minting process varies from round to round. If you’re wondering how much does a silver dollar weigh vs a silver round? Well it’s also important to figure out the exact year, mintmark, and type of round you have. Doing so provides an effective starting point for your search to determine its total value to collectors, scrap silver buyers, and mints. Many coin collectors want to know: how much does a silver dollar weigh versus a silver round? This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about the value, silver content, and weight of silver dollars and silver rounds.

Common Silver Dollars

Most people who want to know how much a silver dollar weighs are really wondering about the silver content of their coins. Compared to newer coins, most common silver dollars are relatively heavy. This is one quick way to identify if you have an old silver dollar in your coin collection; it should be noticeably heavier than the newer coins you have.  The United States Mint has produced several different types of silver dollars in its illustrious history. Most of these coins were minted during the period of 1794 and 1935, when new mines and veins of silver were being discovered all over the country. At this time, the U.S. Mint began to establish a reputation for itself globally, due in no small part to the brilliant and fine designs of its new silver dollars.  At the time, the silver dollar was used regularly as a transactional currency in the U.S., much in the way that we use Sacagawea Dollars now. As you can probably guess, these older silver dollars are worth much more than their face value now. The silver content alone of silver dollars minted prior to 1965 makes them worth far more than $1.  A few common types of silver dollars in the U.S. include the Morgan, Peace, Fraped Bust, Seated Liberty, and Flowing Hair designs. We’ll focus mainly on the Morgan and Peace Silver Dollars in this guide, considering that these are by far the most popular ones found in circulation. 

How Much do Morgan Silver Dollars Weigh? 

Some Morgan silver dollars are extremely rare. The Carson City version of the Morgan Silver Dollar, for example, can potentially sell for thousands of dollars! However, most people who find a silver dollar will have one of several  more common variations of the Morgan Silver Dollar. The silver dollar is named this way because of its designer, a British-American immigrant named George T. Morgan.  Do I have a Morgan silver dollar? The easiest way to tell is to take a look at the design. The obverse of the Morgan Silver Dollar is a woman wearing a crown in her hair that says “Liberty.” The reverse of the coin will show a bald eagle holding a stack of arrows and an olive branch in its talons. This historic silver dollar is revered for its brilliant design, which helped its designer to make a name for himself as a premier mint artist in the United States. 

How much does a silver dollar weigh?

Once you know you have a Morgan Silver Dollar, it shouldn’t be hard to take a guess at its weight. Regardless of the year it was minted in, a Morgan Silver Dollar will have a total weight of 26.73 grams. But this isn’t the only weight you should be worried about, especially if you intend to sell a common Morgan Silver Dollar for its scrap silver value.  Because all Morgan Silver Dollars have a metal composition of 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper, we know that the total weight of pure silver in each coin is around .7734 ounces. The copper content of this coin isn’t worth very much, so the majority of your scrap value for a Morgan Silver Dollar should come from the .7734 Troy Ounces of silver it contains.  If you’re wondering “how much does a silver dollar weigh versus a silver round” the answer is relatively simple if you have a Morgan Silver Dollar. Regardless of its year of minting or mint mark, a Morgan Silver Dollar will weigh around 26.73 grams and contain a total silver weight of .7734 Troy Ounces. 

How Much do Peace Silver Dollars Weigh? 

Minted in the period from 1921 to 1935, the Peace Silver Dollar is another popular silver dollar variation produced and distributed by the United States Mint. So really, how much does a silver dollar weigh vs a silver round? The answer is basically that it weighs the same as the Morgan Silver Dollar. Where value is concerned, Peace Silver Dollars can also vary in their collector’s price. Some versions of this coin are very rare, while others are extremely common.  A 1922 Peace Dollar with the Philadelphia mint mark, for example, retains a value only slightly above its worth as silver scrap. On the other hand, the 1921 Philadelphia Peace Dollar is worth around $107 in good condition, and some special minting error variations can fetch hundreds or thousands of dollars!  Regardless of its year or mint mark, the Silver Peace Dollar weighs a total of around 26.73 grams. It contains 90% silver and 10% copper, bringing its pure silver weight to around .7734 Troy Ounces. The value of a common or cull Peace Silver Dollar should be relatively close to its silver content multiplied by the current silver spot price, which changes daily. How much does a silver dollar weigh when it’s a Peace Silver Dollar variety? The simple answer is .7734 Troy Ounces in pure silver, or 26.73 grams total. 

How Much Does a Silver Round Weigh? 

A few misconceptions persist when it comes to what exactly silver rounds are. Some people incorrectly believe that the term “silver round” is just another way to say “silver coins.” However, there is one very important difference between the two. How is a silver round different from a silver coin? The main difference between a round and a coin is that a coin is a currency backed by a government. Even though most pure silver coins are worth more than their face value because of their pure silver content, these coins are nevertheless usable to buy goods and services in the country that minted them.  The Morgan Silver Dollars, Peace Silver Dollars, and Sacagawea Dollars mentioned above are perfect examples of bullion coins. While they’re each sometimes worth more than the price listed on their face, they can be used to buy $1 worth of goods at nearly any American establishment.  Silver rounds are different because, while they often look similar to silver coins, they are not backed officially by any sovereign government. Silver rounds are often struck with a higher purity of silver. American Silver Dollars typically contain .9 pure silver, while many rounds by leading mints contain .9999 pure silver. This means that the overall weight of a silver round will be pretty close to its total pure silver weight.  The answer to “how much does a silver dollar weigh versus a silver round ” is pretty simple because of the relatively small selection of popular variants available. The question is a bit more difficult to answer when it comes to silver rounds because of the wide variety of different coins being minted. For this reason, it’s pretty hard for us to give you the kind of straightforward answer that we can for people who want to know how much a silver dollar weighs.  Luckily, the high purity of most rounds makes the equation for determining a silver round’s silver weight pretty simple. Just take the total weight of a silver round and multiply it by .9999. This will give you a close estimate of its approximate weight in pure silver. As a general rule of thumb, most silver rounds are minted with a total weight of one Troy Ounce. 

Frequently Asked Questions: How Much Does a Silver Dollar Weigh? 

Despite how simple the question initially seems, getting answers on the precise weight of silver dollars can be difficult. This section will answer the most common questions you might have about how much a silver dollar weighs. 

Q: How much does the average silver dollar weigh? 

A: While it’s tough to give readers a true average for the weight of a silver dollar, we can tell you how much the most common American silver dollars weigh. Both the Silver Peace Dollar and the Morgan Silver Dollar weigh 26.73 grams in total and contain .7734 Troy Ounces of pure silver. 

Q: How much does a silver round weigh? 

A: Most silver rounds are sold as one ounce pieces. This means that the weight of the total piece is one Troy Ounce, and the silver weight is just .0001 Troy Ounces lower than this total. Some silver rounds may weigh more or less than this; it just depends on the mint and their available round variants. 

Q: What makes a silver round different from a silver dollar? 

A: Silver rounds don’t have the backing of any official government. Silver dollars, on the other hand, carry a face value supported by a sovereign nation and its treasury. For American silver dollars, this face value is $1. 

Q: Why does the weight of a silver dollar matter? 

A: Figuring out the precise weight and silver content of your silver dollar or silver round is your best first step in figuring out how much the piece is worth. This is especially important if you have a cull or common coin with little collector’s value, such as a common mint mark Morgan Silver Dollar. 

The Bottom Line: How Much Does a Silver Dollar Weigh? 

Any new coin collector who’s discovered a new silver dollar should be asking: how much does a silver dollar weigh vs a silver round? Getting a solid understanding of the total weight of your coin allows you to figure out how much pure silver it contains. Once you rule out the (exciting) possibility that you’re holding an extremely rare and exceedingly valuable version of the American Silver Dollar, the overall total weight and pure silver weight of a coin is the primary contributor to its value.  A silver Morgan or Peace Dollar will weigh approximately 26.73 grams in total and will carry around .7734 ounces of silver per piece. If you think you have a Morgan Silver Dollar, be sure to avoid spending it at the local grocery store! Even for a common silver dollar, the 90% silver content means that it will be worth far more than the $1 listed on its face.