1885-S $1 Morgan Silver Dollar PCGS MS66

Here’s a popular low mintage (1,497,000) issue of the Morgan dollar series. Many of the 1885-S were placed directly into circulation or were poorly stored in bags, resulting in many bag-marked coins. However, this radiant uber-gem did not suffer that fate. Please take the time to study the photos of this frosty example from AUCM. PCGS graded 75 as MS66 with a mere 12 finer. Collectors Universe gives this issue a price of $6,000.00 in MS66.

Designer-engraver George T. Morgan, who crafted the beautiful coin series that bears his name. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

David Bowers writes,

While the 1885-S remained plentiful, it was scarce in relation to some of the Morgan dollar varieties that had flooded the market from the 1962-1964 release. Writing in The Morgan and Peace Dollar Textbook in 1962, Wayne Miller stated this: "The 1885-S is still available in large quantities." However, he told of two groups of 15 rolls each, or 600 coins - hardly a "large quantity" in comparison to such issues as 1879-S, 1880-S, 1881-S, etc., which commonly traded in bags. Miller also gave details of a 1978 hoard of 35 to 40 rolls (700 to 800 coins), virtually all of which were of mediocre quality. "Not one coin could be called a gem."