What it is
The first 1878 Morgan dollars showed an eagle with eight tail feathers. Mint officials ordered the design changed to seven and some dies were re-hubbed, creating three collectible types: 8 Tail Feathers, 7 over 8 Tail Feathers and 7 Tail Feathers.
How to identify it
- Count the eagle's tail feathers on the reverse.
- On a 7/8 coin you can see the ends of extra feathers beneath the seven.
- The 7 Tail Feathers type has a reverse with either a parallel or slanted top arrow feather.
A 5x to 10x loupe and good, angled light make the details much easier to see. For anything that looks genuine, a digital scale and a certified comparison coin help.
What gets mistaken for it
Wear can blur feather ends. Use good light and compare with known examples.
The regular 1878 coin
The variety appears on the 1878 Morgan Silver Dollar, which had a total mintage of 10,508,800. That figure counts the whole issue, so it does not tell you how many coins show the variety.
Why the Morgan dollar changed in its first weeks
The Bland-Allison Act of February 28, 1878 required the Treasury to buy large amounts of silver and coin it into dollars. George T. Morgan's new design was rushed into production. The first Morgan dollars were struck at Philadelphia on March 11, 1878. The eagle on that original reverse had eight tail feathers.
Mint officials soon decided the eagle should have seven tail feathers. Instead of throwing away all the eight-feather dies already made, the Mint hubbed some of them again with the new seven-feather design. The seven feathers did not completely cover the old ones, so the tips of the extra feathers show beneath them. That is how the 7 over 8 type was created.
Tail feathers at the branch mints
Carson City and San Francisco began striking Morgan dollars after the change, so all 1878-CC and 1878-S dollars have seven tail feathers. Only Philadelphia struck 8 Tail Feathers and 7 over 8 Tail Feathers coins. If your 1878 dollar has a CC or S mint mark below the wreath, it is a seven-feather coin.
A step-by-step check
Use a 5x loupe and a light from above. Count the long feathers in the eagle's tail on the reverse. If there are eight, you have an 8 Tail Feathers coin. If there are seven, look closely at the bottom ends of the feathers: on a 7 over 8 coin, extra feather tips show beneath the seven, with four or more visible on the strongest dies.
For 7 Tail Feathers coins, check the top arrow feather in the eagle's claw. On the Reverse of 1878 it runs parallel to the arrow shafts, while on the Reverse of 1879 it slants. The eagle's breast is also flatter on the Reverse of 1878 and rounder on the Reverse of 1879. These are the two seven-feather types collectors list for 1878.
Strong and weak 7 over 8 coins
The 7 over 8 coins vary in how many extra feather tips can be seen. On the strongest dies the tips are clear with a 5x loupe, while weak dies show only small traces that need a 10x loupe. Collectors distinguish strong and weak 7 over 8 coins. Strong examples are the most desirable.
Wear hits the tail feathers early, so a well-preserved coin is needed to see the extra tips clearly. On a worn coin, use a 10x loupe and turn the coin under the light, as the extra tips can show as small bumps at the bottom of the tail even when their outlines are worn.
VAM numbers for 1878 dollars
Morgan dollar varieties are cataloged by VAM numbers, named after Leroy Van Allen and A. George Mallis, who compiled the standard reference. The 1878 Philadelphia dollars have many VAMs across the three types, reflecting the large number of dies made and reworked in a short time. PCGS and NGC attribute the major types and many popular VAMs.
Grades and surfaces
Many 1878 dollars sat in Treasury vaults for decades and were released in the early 1960s, so Uncirculated examples of all three types exist. Collectors look for strong strikes, original luster and prooflike surfaces. Coins with mirror fields are graded with PL for prooflike or DMPL for deep mirror prooflike. These designations are particularly prized on first-year Morgan dollars.
Look closely at the feathers and the hair above Liberty's ear, which are the first areas to show wear.
Counterfeits
Counterfeit Morgan dollars are common, including coins dated 1878. The weight should be about 26.73 grams and the diameter about 38.1 millimeters. Look for soft details, a wrong rim, a dull or greasy surface and a ring that sounds dead when the coin is balanced on a fingertip and tapped gently with another coin. Certified coins from major services are the safest choice.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I have an 1878 Morgan Dollar: 8 vs 7 Tail Feathers?
Count the eagle's tail feathers on the reverse. On a 7/8 coin you can see the ends of extra feathers beneath the seven. If your coin passes these checks, have it authenticated by PCGS or NGC before buying or selling.
Is the 1878 Morgan Dollar: 8 vs 7 Tail Feathers valuable?
Genuine examples sell for a premium over regular coins of the same date. The amount depends on how strong the variety is, the coin's condition and whether it is certified. Compare recent sold auction results for certified coins in the same grade.
What is a design change?
The first 1878 Morgan dollars showed an eagle with eight tail feathers.
Did the 1878-CC Morgan dollar have 8 tail feathers?
No. All 1878-CC and 1878-S Morgan dollars have seven tail feathers. Only Philadelphia struck the 8 Tail Feathers type.
What was the first Morgan dollar?
The 1878 8 Tail Feathers dollar from Philadelphia, struck from March 11, 1878. It was the first type of the series.