Pls Grade This 1880 S Morgan

MS-62.

I'm guessing the scratches around the nose are on the holder. With that in mind, I'm now looking for marks on the cheek which appear bright instead of black; the former are actual gouges with a physical displacement which attract light, and the latter merely breaks in luster.

There's very darn little to attract attention in the fields. The cheek doesn't support it, but the fields wouldn't be out of place on an MS65 example. I have this one at a good MS63, given how much of what the digital camera sees on the cheek which won't be apparent in-hand (everything on the neck, for example). Wouldn't surprise me if it were 64.