Post your fully struck Mint State 1904-O Morgan

Coinhusker1 · December 8, 2004 6:36AM

I sure as heck don't have one, and cannot find one in MS-64 or MS-65. I've seen them in MS-65 holders which look like Lady Liberty's ear was cut off! I'm not sure if a fully struck one even exists (at least in 64 or 65).

Got to be the worst struck date of all Morgans. Mardi-Gras must have been a year-long celebration in 1904!!!

wam98 · December 8, 2004 6:49AM

This one is pretty soft above the ear and the eagles breast feathers are there but soft also. I have seen flat breasts on these O mint Morgans and they still be MS-64 and up.

K6AZ · December 8, 2004 6:56AM

What do you think of this one? (Keep in mind this is a scan)

Coinhusker1 · December 8, 2004 7:15AM

<< What do you think of this one? (Keep in mind this is a scan)

>>

That's better than average, and about as good as I have seen.

But certainly not fully struck with full hair. I'd like to see one with full hair and full breast feathers -- if it exists! (even in 66+)!

K6AZ · December 8, 2004 7:20AM

You're not going to find many. I think I have seen a handful in the many years I have been playing with them. If this one peaks your interest, check out the BST board.

kryptonitecomics · December 8, 2004 7:28AM

I just checked my MS63 and liberty looks like someone smacked her in the ear with a 2X4, and the breast feathers on the Reverse are as smooth as a babies bottom.

TONEDDOLLARS · December 8, 2004 7:35AM

I think mine is struck very well. See if you can tell thru the toning

DorkGirl · December 8, 2004 7:51AM

Quick scan of the best one I can find right now, just a hair from full, and nice breast feathers:

Louis · December 8, 2004 8:50AM

Not exactly fully struck but it's on eBay for $73 B.I.N.

K6AZ · December 8, 2004 8:58AM

<< Not exactly fully struck but it's on eBay for $73 B.I.N. >>

That's a nice coin, and I would grab it if I were in a buying mood, but at this point I'm clearing out most of my Morgans.

BAJJERFAN · December 8, 2004 9:51AM

PCGS calls this one a 66

Stuart · December 8, 2004 10:32AM

Here's a 1904-O Morgan Dollar in PCGS MS-65 PL which I recently purchased from a fellow forum member. These are the original photos which I used to evaluate the coin prior to purchasing it and are not my photos. It's one of the coins that I will eventually re-photograph.

The obverse photo is pretty revealing, and demonstrates the full strike and the PL surfaces.

lava · December 8, 2004 10:55AM

After looking at a bunch of 1893-cc morgans that suffer from this same weakness in strike over the ear, I got to wondering how PCGS accounts for this. Is it a non-factor because it is par for the course, or does is take a coin down a point or two? I have seen a good number of poor 04-o 66s, so maybe no point deduction, but as for the `93-cc, which is even more notorious in my opinion for weakness, that may very well take a point away (hard to tell, since so many `93-ccs have other contacts marks that limit the grade).

Coinhusker1 · December 8, 2004 8:33PM

Some nice obverse strikes, but the reverse breast feathers are appear tough to find, even in 66.

Dorkgirl and Tonedollars, can you post reverse pics? Tonedollar, that's the nicest toning I have seen on an 04-0 -- they don't seem to tone as nicely as the ones from the 1880s.

Thanks all for sharing!!

BAJJERFAN · December 8, 2004 8:42PM

Unfortunately I don't have the 66 here in hand so I can't comment on how strong the breast feathers are in that one compared to how the pic presents them.

TONEDDOLLARS · December 9, 2004 2:31AM

coinhusker, thanks for the compliment. 04-o's are tough to find with nice color. I have two others one a 65 with green toning and a 66 with envolope toning. I'll look to see if I have a reverse picture

morgannut2 · December 9, 2004 2:48AM

My 1904-O basically looks like Stuart's. They can be found with a very nice strike, but often you have to pay the premium for a PL or DMPL, even though there's little cameo contrast in that date.

CalGold · December 9, 2004 3:44AM

Just buy a deeply toned one so that the toning masks the strike and don't look so close.

Vet · December 9, 2004 3:47AM

This is the best I can come up with.

Stuart · December 9, 2004 3:52AM

I recently purchased an ANACS MS-63 PL 1904-O Morgan which is very well struck, and is truly a PL coin. I'll have to eventually photograph it and add it to this thread. It is very pretty for the grade (looks MS-64 PL to me)...

eyoung429 · December 9, 2004 4:58AM

Here is one that I currently own.....MS64 with the exceptions of the die cracks on the rev....very strong strike....

Numismanic · December 9, 2004 5:29AM

I just picked up this one. When I receive it I'll post a better image of it.

jbsteven · December 9, 2004 5:44AM

K6AZ · December 9, 2004 5:48AM

CarlWohlforth · December 9, 2004 5:58AM

Here is one in 63. I didn't think it was well struck when I first looked at it. However it is better than some. It is interesting to see so many 1904-Os in one thread.

Coinhusker1 · December 13, 2004 2:10AM

Thanks for the posts, this has been very informative. I think the takeaway from this is if you see and 04-O FBF (Full Breast Feathers), grab it!! You may not see another for quite a while!

I will continue my quest. It's challenges like this that make collecting fun!!!

Stuart · December 13, 2004 2:40AM

CoinHusker: I was reading in Dave Bowers new Morgan Dollar Redbook that a new reverse die hub type was introduced in 1900 which had more poorly defined breast feathers on the eagle than those minted during previous years using the older reverse type.

According to Bowers the year 1900 was a transition year during which some of the older and newer reverses were used. This new reverse hub may help to explain why many 1904-O Morgans have weak breast feathers and apparently weak strikes.

I have also read that the New Orleans Mint typically placed the dies a bit further apart than other mints to help extend die life, which also caused poorly struck coins to be minted.

morgannut2 · December 13, 2004 2:44AM

I'd have to send my DMPL to Stuart to photograph and I'm afraid he'd like it so much, he would want to give it back!!!

Stuart · December 13, 2004 3:28AM

I'd have to send my DMPL to Stuart to photograph and I'm afraid he'd like it so much, he would want to give it back!!!

alergar · December 13, 2004 4:21AM

Here's my 1904-O PCGS MS65:

Coinhusker1 · December 13, 2004 10:48AM

<< CoinHusker: I was reading in Dave Bowers new Morgan Dollar Redbook that a new reverse die hub type was introduced in 1900 which had more poorly defined breast feathers on the eagle than those minted during previous years using the older reverse type.

According to Bowers the year 1900 was a transition year during which some of the older and newer reverses were used. This new reverse hub may help to explain why many 1904-O Morgans have weak breast feathers and apparently weak strikes.

I have also read that the New Orleans Mint typically placed the dies a bit further apart than other mints to help extend die life, which also caused poorly struck coins to be minted. >>

Yeah, I have the QDB book and I recall him mentioning the die spacing on New Orleans dollars. I actually have a 1900-O DPL that was struck pretty well.

QDB also mentions that the 91-O is the worst of all. I have not seen too many 91-O's so can't comment, but I have seen many many of the common O mint dollars (79 thru 85, and 98 thru 04) and from what I have seen the 04 is by far the worst of the lot, but bad strikes are common for all those dates.

K6AZ · December 13, 2004 11:30AM

<< CoinHusker: I was reading in Dave Bowers new Morgan Dollar Redbook that a new reverse die hub type was introduced in 1900 which had more poorly defined breast feathers on the eagle than those minted during previous years using the older reverse type.

According to Bowers the year 1900 was a transition year during which some of the older and newer reverses were used. This new reverse hub may help to explain why many 1904-O Morgans have weak breast feathers and apparently weak strikes.

I have also read that the New Orleans Mint typically placed the dies a bit further apart than other mints to help extend die life, which also caused poorly struck coins to be minted. >>

Stuart, are you sure he states the date of 1900? The C3 reverse was introduced during 1901, and it is this year that you find both reverses.

Stuart · December 13, 2004 11:46AM

<< Stuart, are you sure he states the date of 1900? The C3 reverse was introduced during 1901, and it is this year that you find both reverses. >>

Yes, Eric on page 247 for the 1900 Morgan Dollar Bowers states:

"Key to Collecting: A new reverse hub was introduced this year. Coins struck from dies made from this hub have less definition to the eagle's breast feathers, introducing another aspect into grading techniques -- as now a coin can be a full strike, but not have full feathers! However, some old reverse dies continued in use in the next several years, alongside the new ones."

DorkGirl · December 13, 2004 12:05PM

Here's a picture I just took of the scanned coin from earlier to show the reverse. The feathers are there, just not like a nice early S mint coin.....

Stuart · December 13, 2004 1:29PM

Becky: That's a very nice and well-struck 1904-O. Thanks for sharing her with us.

ArtR · December 13, 2004 8:00PM

Both the C3 and C4 Reverses were used in 1900.

Numismanic · December 20, 2004 7:19AM

I just received this 1904O Morgan dollar today. The strike appears to be pretty good.

PCGS MS65 1904O

MORGANHUNTER2 · December 20, 2004 8:18AM

Stuart- the page you refer to is for the 1900 Philly morgan- check pg 248- it talks about the s mint and the o mint

Coinhusker1 · December 20, 2004 11:29AM

<< I just received this 1904O Morgan dollar today. The strike appears to be pretty good.

PCGS MS65 1904O

>>

Whoa, I think we have a winner!! Best 04-O reverse I have seen!! Hang on to it -- it is a keeper.

Post your fully struck Mint State 1904-O Morgan

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