Does anyone know if there is a good reference guide to grading weaker strike "O" Mint Morgans? I have had this very toned 1904o Morgan for about 30 years. I always assumed it was a circulated coin because of the flat hair above the ear and near the crown. I recently came across a PCGS slabbed 1904o graded MS65 and the hair is flatter than this coin. This coin still has a full cartwheel and the colors in the toning is why I have held onto this.
I think your coin is UNC...the O strikes are weaker and the hair around the ear seem to be weak on most strikes While I can't tell the grade from the photos it looks like a nice coin. Speedy
New Orleans struck coins had some of the worst quality control. They replaced their dies less frequently and many hardcore Morgan collectors can look at a MS Morgan Obverse and tell where it was minted. New Orlean struck coins were over all flat and poor quality. San Francisco gave us some of the best struck Morgans. Take a look at a 1880 or 1881-S Morgan in BU condition. Simply beautiful! So, what would grade MS65 from New Orleans would probably grade at MS63 in San Francisco. It is just the nature of the beast.
Thanks all for your input, I took the coin to the NY Invitation Coin Show. Most dealers deemed it MS 60-63 saying it could be higher but the darkened toning at the bottom lessens the eye appeal. One dealer who was held in higher regard for his grading cautioned that if I sent it to be graded it might not get graded beacuse the toning and be prepared for it to come back somewhere between AU-58 and MS-63, either way it wouldn't be worth the $30.00 SuperDave, did you take that great picture? If I didn't know better I'd think the ear was practically worn away!
Just to go a little further on the cause of weak/poor strikes from various mints...From Silver Dollars and Trade Dollars of the United States: "A very important factor in striking quality among Morgan dollars was the curvature of the basining wheel used to polish new dies at the mints. The Carson City mint dies were the most convex, bringing the centers closer together, but leaving the rims further appart. This is a prime reason why the Carson City mint dollars have strong centers but weak rims. The New Orleans mint dies were often too flat, causing strong rims but weak centers. The Philadelphia and San Francisco mint dies were the most correctly basined, and produced the coins most consistently struck in a 'normal' way."
