The business strike Trade Dollar series spans only six years from 1873-1878.  Due to its proximity to the Orient, the vast majority of these coins were struck in the San Francisco Mint.  Deliveries at the Carson City Mint were much smaller, while those from the Philadelphia Mint were significantly so in all years save for 1877.  Indeed, the most plentiful Trade Dollars are those that bear the distinct S mintmark of the West Coast coinage facility.  In higher Mint State grades, however, all Trade Dollars are scarce, if not rare - a situation that stems from the fact that most examples were shipped to the Orient and few were deliberately saved at the time of issue.

Many Trade Dollars that circulated in the Orient were counterstamped with Oriental characters known as chopmarks.  These marks were affixed to coins by individual merchants who had tested the piece in question and determined that its weight and fineness were as stated.  The thought was that the merchant would be spared having to repeat this step if commerce returned the coin to their hands at a later date.  Although shunned in numismatic circles for many years as impaired, chopmarked Trade Dollars are becoming increasingly popular with collectors.  Many buyers have come to appreciate these coins' history and realize that the distintive marks they possess were acquired while fulfilling their intended role in foreign trade.