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HISTORY
Morgan Silver Dollars were minted from 1878 to 1921. They were designed by George T. Morgan who migrated from England to America just prior to the Bland-Allison Act of 1878. The oversupply of silver bullion on the overseas market could not sustain the price levels which producers required to maintain profitable operations. The rich-get-richer politicians legislated the Treasury Department to purchase millions of ounces of silver each month and the Bland-Allison Act was the instrument that created the most collected coin in the history of the United States.
MINTS
The following mints produced Morgan Silver Dollars, although they did not all make them every year. Philadelphia began minting in 1878, along with Carson City, and San Francisco. New Orleans began minting in 1879 and Denver minted Morgan Dollars only in 1921. There are over one hundred dates and mintmarks in the Morgan series. However, the Silver Dollar market has expanded in recent decades to include a multitude of varieties of most dates as various dies were used in the minting process.
TERMINOLOGY
DMPL - Deep Mirror Prooflike - This refers to the reflectivity of the coin's surface. These are generally early minted coins from highly polished planchets thus producing a mirror like appearance. For a coin to qualify for the DMPL designation, you should be able to read a newspaper in the reflection of the coin from at least 4"-6" away. One problem with DMPL Dollars is that the mirrored surface tends to show up the bagmarks more than a non-prooflike surface, which is one of the reasons high grade DMPL Morgan Dollars are greatly sought after.
P/L - Prooflike - Same as the DMPL but the reflectivity is usually less than 4" readability.
Cameo - The distinction of the main device from the surrounding field. The stronger the contrast, the 'whiter' the device will appear.
RECOMMENDED REFERENCES
The Comprehensive U.S. Silver Dollar Encyclopedia, by John Highfill
Comprehensive Catalogue and Encyclopedia of U.S. Morgan and Peace Silver Dollars, by Leroy Van Allen and George A. Mallis
An Analysis of Morgan and Peace Dollars, by Wayne Miller
Silver Dollars and Trade Dollars of the United States, by Q. David Bowers
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Series
Morgan Dollars
Series Run
1878-1921
Designer
George T. Morgan
Weight
26.73 grams
Net Weight
.77344 ounces pure silver
Composition
.900 silver
.100 copper
Diameter
38.1 millimeters
Edge
Reeded Edge
Mints
Philadelphia, New Orleans, Carson City, Denver, San Francisco
Mink Mark Location
reverse below wreath
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