Morgan Silver Dollar - Was It Cleaned?

NathanASE- why do you not recommend slabbing? Is it just unnecessary?

I wouldn't recomend having it slabbed professionally... Only because the cost would basically be the value of the coin's.
I'm not 100% sure of PCGS, NGC or ANACS's (top 3 third party graders) prices at the moment, but I'm pretty sure there still around the value of the coin. I know that unless you have a dealer submit it for you, for PCGS and NGC at least you have to subscribe for the year and you get free submitions with your membership. But... you still have to pay shipping (insured) so it would still be pricy (on top of the expensive membership fee)

Basically if I buy a EF Morgan for $30/35, and then pay well over $25 to have it slabbed if I were to see sell it it would still only be worth the $30/35 I bought them for, so I would loose money (although I rarely sell coins, lol). On the other hand if I cherry pick high grade raw Morgan's, (which I love to do), and I think it has a chance at MS-65, or pick up a rarer key date or nice VAM I want attributed I wouldn't hesitate at all in considering getting it slabbed. Anything less I just buy the same slabs and put them in myself for display and to keep um safe.

If you don't mind me asking, what do you want them slabbed for? For the grade? Or to preserve them?

If they were cleaned, it was light and done a long time ago. They both look "problem free" to me.

ray,
on the last point, a 2X2 cardboard holder is perfectly acceptable for storage of circulated coins.
However, for dollar coins the thickness is a bit of a concern. I like to use plastic flips for them
and staple the open side to prevent the coin from falling out.
Your '21 is of a higher grade than the '82 and explains why it has not acquired
that LOVELY dark tone!
Save the grading fees and buy a third and fourth dollar!

That's what I'll do, I'm selling a lot of foreign silver coins in order to purchase more Morgan and Peace dollars.

I really like the American silver dollars although the older seated liberty and Trade dollars are for the most part expensive and in poor condition compared to the Morgan and Peace dollars that I've found.

Ray, I'm sure some people would be interested in your foreign silver, but to buy, sell or trade on this site you have to have a certian number of posts as mentioned in the rules. Off hand I don't remember the exact numbers needed for each, but it can be easily found in the rules. And it's not that much, you'll get to that point pretty quickly!

I'm glad to hear you're keeping the Morgan's! Such a beautiful series, I think I mentioned that its my favorite and most collected coin, I do really like the trade and seated's but as you mentioned they are alot more in price. I only have 1 Trade dollar and 2 seated's for now. Morgan's can be bought in mid mint state grades for fairly cheap.

I'd have to recomend that before on go on a buying binge you get a couple books, look at many Morgan's on here, slabbed examples in hand etc and learn a little about grading as well as know exactly what you want to collect and how. I only say this as personally for me, I inherited a pretty good collection and also fell in love with Morgan's and bought many new ones. But at first I just wanted one of each date/mint so the grade didn't really bother me as much and I bought any and all Morgan's I could get for a good price. But since then I've decided that I only want MS Morgan's (unless a key date, unique VAM or great color), and preferablly toned nicely if possible so I ended up selling off most of the ones I had origionally bought.. And lost a few dollars in the prosess.. Whereas if I had origionally done this it would have been better... Does that make sense?
So... If you don't already have them, the Whitman RedBook is an excellant reference (the prices are a bit off but it's loaded with info on all the series)
And also by Whitman, the complete guide to Morgan dollars which has tons of info on each year and mint... Just a really great resource!
As mantioned for grading the link I posted before and for an estimate on values try the site below or search completed ebay listings (completed though, not active listings!) (even the prices below are a bit off but darn close and definitely closer than RedBook)
http://numismedia.com/fmv/fmv.shtml

And again about the slabbing... I agree with mathew, for circulated coins the 2x2's are just fine.. And as I said I wouldn't have a circulated Morgan slabbed just because the price wouldn't make it worth it.. But as far as protecting your coins you can literally buy the same slabs that PCGS uses and put the coins in yourself, it just won't be graded... For under $2 each (less depending on where you get them and how many) this is what I do unless like I said, I have a coin I feel will get a high grade, want a VAM attributed or its a semi/or key date (I usually send my CC's too... Just because..)

But honestly I prefer raw coins anyways... I will buy a slabbed example if it has amazing color, possible graded wrong or not attributed.. But I like to be able to see my coins straight up, not through a layer of plastic.. Or coffin if you will.. Lol. So with the slabs you buy yourself you can open them, switch out coins, hold the insert to view the coin so your not touching it etc.. Really nice holders. And then I bought an album that holds slabbed coins for $40(ish)

Anyways, I hope this helps! On a side note, as I mentioned Morgan's can often be found with amazing rainbow colors and once you've see one you may fall in love... But BE CAREFUL, this toning (as with all coins) can be done artificially! So until you know how to destinguish between natrual toning and artificial (unless you buy them slabbed from one of the top 3 TPG'ers) I'd do some more research and learn how to tell so you dont end up with a AT (artificially toned) coin for a hearty premium as the NT's (natrual toned) command.

Here's an example of a nicely toned Morgan just for drool candy.. It's a PCGS MS-64 with a CAC sticker (I'd say 64+ or even 65 though, she's nice)



Good luck, and I can't wait to see all your new coins as you buy them! We love pics!!

Thank you for all the info, I'm new here and wasn't trying to solicit really just an off-hand comment. I do love the Morgans a lot more than the Peace dollars (though they're nice too)and I will check out all of the literature as I want to learn as much as possible. That picture is beautiful, I wonder why some tone colorful (rainbow) and others dark... maybe enviroment (humidity, light exposure, etc.) over the life of the coin. The dark ones are strangely appealing as well.

Thanks for the info on the counterfeits, those older coins are really cool, just don't seem worth the premium... or the risk.

I acquired two more Morgans, I really like the '21. I know... another '21, but I couldn't pass it up at $23.

The obverse has really good luster (better in person), but the reverse is toned a little and doesn't quite have the same shine.

How do you grade a coin like this?

The '84 is similar to my '82, except with better lines. I like the even dark tones, what grade do you think, VG?