1890-O Morgan

OK, here goes...it has "attractive mint luster", although slightly unevenly "toned". Has "noticeable detracting contact marks or minor blemishes" and a large ding on her neck and wing feathers. Slight wear above the ear and very slight wear on the breast feathers. Here goes, MS63/64?

I would not go MS65 or better because it does not have full mint luster and shows "traces of wear".

For a New Orleans Mint, known for "weak strikes" (as I've learned from this forum), I would guess that it's a nice coin at MS63, maybe 64.

How'd I do Morgan fans?

Deb, I think you were peeking over my shoulder when I wrote my evaluation! Scratch the wear aspects since by definition, a Mint State can't have nor show any wear, but your conclusions are based on the same observations as mine. A job well done!

BTW, you may have noted that there are two schools of thought on toning. Some people do not like toning one little bit while others think toning under certain conditions may enhance a Morgan's beauty. I tend to be in the latter camp. Some collectors and dealers specialize in toned coins (not just Morgans) and, indeed if the coins are not artificially toned in someone's oven or with a chemistry set are absolutely striking. There's also the difficulty differentiating between short-term artificial toning and long-term "natural" toning (such as lingering in someone's sulfer-laden collection album or in a Mint's bag crammed against the bag material). There is also the argument that toning may cover imperfections in a coin, but the top TPGs just look through toning when grading a coin. And, of course, there's the ugly tones such as when a silver coin is in close proximity to high sulfer content, it turns black.

Fred

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Originally posted by dsking

Whew! Thanks Morgan Fred! You can tell by my post that I'm quoting from my book but, also trying to make my own judgements. I'm using the ANA Grading Book for now...will probably invest in Morgan Grading and/or Photograde and read up on ANAC's and the others.

Is my understanding correct that ANAC's would probably not even go MS63 because they tend to grade lower than say NGC, etc.?

I've noticed on the forum the differing opinions about toning. I too enjoy a little toning as it seems to give the coin it's character.

Thanks for helping me to keep on learning!!!!!!!

ps: Are you back in the "Valley of the Sun"?

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You're obviously a fast learner! If you decide to get really serious about Morgans, I highly recommend Q. David Bowers, 2004, The Official Red Book of Morgan Silver Dollars, Whitman Publishing, Atlanta GA, 288pp. Very readable, gives plenty of period history and history of US silver dollars in general.

ANACS has been undergoing major changes over the past six months to a year, so I would not want to speculate on how it is grading Morgans today; it may change tomorrow. I'll know better this fall when I submit some raw and PCGS Morgans.

Nope, no Valley of the Kachina's Mother Sun yet. I drove the four-hour trip back to my desert home yesterday (90 miles west of Phoenix) for a two-hour meeting on the water system (I'm the new ADEQ Certified Water System Operator) and it was scorching at "only" 95F. It's in the 60s here right now, will get into the low 50s or even upper 40s tonight and the rest of the week. Much as I'd like to stay in the mountains, it appears that I'll need to get back to the desert early in September to work the water system. I am NOT looking forward to the 100s and living in those temps for better than a month until fall sets in sometime in October. My travel trailer's air conditioner works fine, but the generator to run it uses a gallon of gas an hour. $$$$$ These transitional seasons are probably my biggest problem with my move from upstate NY to AZ three years ago: it's either too hot or too cold.

OK, here it is.You all were right on.This is another I was hoping might upgrade if resummited.

I do like the perimeter toning as well a nice light golden rod Hue around the rim working it self in to the center I would of agreed 63 maybe 64 for what I could see..

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Originally posted by TLS5933

OK, here it is.You all were right on.This is another I was hoping might upgrade if resummited.

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TLS, I believe I can safely guarantee that PCGS won't upgrade this Morgan. Upgrades are just not in PCGS's lexicon these days. Worse, it has a nasty habit of DOWNGRADING their own (and other TPG's) Morgans. Goes back to marketing strategy and keeping its population report curve down. If the Morgan came from one of PCGS's top registered dealers, then it might have a slight chance at an upgrade to MS-64, but the value of the coin at that grade wouldn't make repeat submissions worth the attempt. If it had a chance to go to MS-65 with a greatly increased value (to $2100 from $350), I'd say go for it, but starting at MS-63 and working its way up to MS-65 isn't very likely and would get very expensive in submission fees.

Fred