Is this a Morgan error?

jmcu12

Here is an 1881-O.

1. What grade would you put this at?
2. While the obverse seems ok, the reverse looks like something is off. The denticles are not at the edge and they are flat, not rounded like the obverse. And if I did not know better I would say that it was broadstruck. (I hope I am using the term correctly).

So is this an error? And if so does it carry any additional value/interest?


Thanks.

Sequitur

jmcu12

ttt

razorface1027

Looks like a 45 degree rotation. Not uncommon for early Morgans.

I've seen some with 90 degree rotations that didn't command a large premium. There were a couple of 78-CCs that had this degree of rotation and didn't get much over the B/A price at auction.

dollardude

Nice find. I'd say she grades MS63. Good luster and above average strike for an O-mint, but there are a few hits on the obverse.

I don't think flat denticles are an error, but I may be wrong. To see if there is a die rotation, do a coin flip, and it will be obvious. You can't tell from a picture.

poorguy

Different mints have different denticles on the dollars that were struck. The Encyclopedia of Morgan and Silver Dollars by Van Allen and Mallis.

Here are Morgans from each different mint. Not including Denver. Look at the differences in the dentils.

New Orleans: wide, flat, and rounded



Philadelphia: long, square and usually sharp



San Francisco: short, square, and sharp



Carson City: short, rounded, and usually sharp



edited to give credit to coinfacts.com for the pics.

Also, I would grade this coin at between MS62-MS63. It is hard to determine grade from just a picture. The bagginess of the coin and overall dull appearance are my reasoning. The strike from New Orleans is almost always found weak so there are hardly ever any examples with a good strong reverse strike showing full eagle breast feathers. Again, upon personal inspection, the scan might not have shown luster or other qualities that merit the coin a change in grade. Very nice coin. Thank you for sharing with us.

-BK

numonebuyer

The prime focal areas are very clean. I think this makes it a MS-63. I assume the picture is not hiding something very ugly that says "you can't make me a 63".

A wonderful post and great replies.

KlectorKid

I agree with the others. 63 and no error.

jmcu12

Thanks as well for all the posts.

But specifically what I was referring to, look at the rim above 'States'. The denticles are not at the edge, there is flat metal at the edge. So even with the post by poorguy even though they are flat, they are not at the edge of the coin. The rest of reverse has the denticles at the same distance from the edge, although the scan does not show it.

poorguy

This coin is not broadstruck. That is a definite fact.

Sometimes, between the dentils, the distance between the rim and the dentils is larger or smaller. This is a very very lightly off centered strike on the reverse. New Orleans is notorious for producing poorly struck morgans with low pressure. Hence the flat look and no breast feathers.

jmcu12

poorguy thanks for the clarification.

Now another subject, how do I get rid of that carbon spot on the obverse, yet leave the toning untouched?

DennisH

To the best of my knowledge, carbon spots can't be removed without physically damaging the coin.