1880 O Morgan Silver Dollar

wow, a 65 or higher must be a very hard grade to reach!

 

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1900 Morgan MS 66 $495

Ive been looking at this graded Morgan. NGC says market value is $720. I know, I know, they're inflated prices. But a $225 discount is still pretty decent. However, I have seen others selling for as little as 400-450. One good thing, I guess, is that the next grade up is valued at about $7,000.

 

Im trying to figure out what that place is on the rim above the S on States. Ive inquired about it but theyve yet to reply.

 

I'm seeing what looks like bad marks and chatter on the fields on the obverse and on Liberty's cheek. Without seeing the coin in hand, it would be hard to know for sure. But clean fields are really required to get above MS63. Fortunately, those coins can easily be found for this date.

It's hard to tell from that photos. Could be the slab or the coin.

 

you can greatly magnify the slabbed coin. Click on the pic, then close the window that contains just the pic. Then you should see another pic that you can enlarge a good bit.

Maybe theyll get back with me on my inquiry about it.

 

With NGC, yes... but with PCGS, not exactly. Their stated requirements (attachment) are for eye-appeal and this has also been my experience.

http://www.ngccoin.com/coingrading/plus-and-star-designations.aspx

To an extent, yes, but would have no effect on the OP's coin. While there can be exceptions, strike quality comes more into play with gem grades.


In regards to your 80-O, I question the MS opinions and feel that the coin is most likely Ch AU. Your images appear flat and lifeless, so there is a possibility it could go either way assuming there are no issues that would result in a gennie tag. The 80-S does appear to be MS from what I can see, but to be totally honest, you probably could have done better for the money paid. Buying raw from images, unless from a known and trusted dealer (and even then), is always a gamble. With silver prices where they are, a nice slabbed example could have been had for near the same amount.

 

yea i dont usually buy raw coins for numis value, but i thought this one looked really good. i guess not. I typically buy silver and gold bullion with the occasional slabbed coin.

 

For future reference:

Take the coin out of the holder before you take a picture or scan.

The holder makes most photos useless.

To my eye anyway.

 

i would do that. those pics arent mine though. thanks

 

Which one, the 1880-O or the 1880-S? I think all 1880-S MS Morgan's look good because they are so well struck. It's not easy to see a gem with a low price and not jump all over it, the problem is gems are so common. The 1880-O is a tough one. It's easy to get caught up in the stigma of "they all have poor strikes" and thus miss a little wear. This is very common and when you see a coin with a huge high grade MS premium and clear fields (like yours) it is very easy to see dollar signs and not distinguish between a poor strike and wear.

 

Camaro, I was referring to the 1880 S. Of course I looked it up to see how common it was and I knew that it'd have to be in really good/rare condition to exceed my purchasing price. I also realize that you cant fully judge coins based on picture. Ive seen auctioneers post a pic of a coin and it look fantastic and then, to their credit, they post it from a slightly different angle or with different lighting and you wonder where the beauty went! haha

Having said that, Ive looked at MANY pictures of Morgans and pictures from this seller and based upon all of the pictures Ive viewed, this particular 1880-S looked like the best Id seen (excluding slabbed coins and some toned ones). But, like i said, I know that it can be an illusion because of all the variables involved in pictures and I know that Im a kindergartener when it comes to fully knowing what Im looking at. But, it was only $65 and I thought it was worth at least that or very near that. But even if it's only a $40-$50 coin I think its worth the occasional risk.

And you or anyone else reading this thinks that there's very little chance it exceeds $40-$$125 in value, assuming a knowledgeable buyer?

As far as the initial coin I posted, the 1880 O, that coin couldve looked like roadkill and I would've paid the $14.50. I was hoping that along with the good price that it might also grade in in 60's. And you give me way too much credit when you say that I might be substituting poor strikes for wear. Is it possible that you're doing the opposite, that you're seeing wear where there's actually poor striking? Im sure youre not, but I can hold out hope, cant I?

I asked the seller about the slabbed coin I posted, the one with the 'place' above the S in States, and he STILL hasnt replied. Not a very promising sign for business ethic.

 

For $14.50, it's a steal in any grade. It is possible it's just a weak strike, but I don't believe so. If it were a weak strike, you wouldn't see the dullness and darker grey color above the ear, on the ear and on a few other high spots. That darkness/dullness is indicative of a wear spot...this is because that color results when there is a break in the luster. If it were simply a weak strike, you would have the same loss of detail but the luster would be intact. That is the key to discerning wear verses a weak strike.