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Grading Morgan Dollars...
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I found this online some time ago and I thought I'd share with some of the other "newbies" on the board... are these impressions accurate:
Liberty Head (Morgan) Dollar (1878-1921) Circulated Examples
There are three main styles of reverses for Morgan Dollars that affect grading. The first is the flat-breast variety, seen on some 1878-1880 coins; the second is the round-breast variety, seen on most 1878-1904 issues; and the third is the groove-breast, seen only in 1921. Wear looks different for these reverses, and in the higher circulated grades this should be considered when determining remaining feather detail. The obverses are of two varieties, the one used from 1878-1904 and the one used only in 1921. These are graded similarly, though there is more relief on the 1878-1904 variety. Wear on the hair, especially above the ear, looks much different for the 1921 variety.
That said, AU-55/58 Morgan dollars have slight friction on the hair below LIBERTY, the hair above the ear, and the cheek. Reverse wear is noted on the eagle's head, breast, wing tips, legs, and claws. The wreath will have only slight friction on the highest points of the center leaves, with full detail except for localized weakness. Since some of these areas are often seen with strike weakness, careful examination is necessary. When wear is present, the surfaces are usually dull and discolored-strike weakness examples still having a bright, silvery look. When increased wear is present, as with AU-50/53, the friction is more obvious in the hair and is now seen on the entire high part of the face plus the front of the neck. The field is now rubbed, obvious wear often being accompanied by marks. Reverse wing feathers will now have slight friction, though all should still be very sharp. The breast feathers, especially on the round-breast variety, will be slightly flattened for these grades, as will the leg feathers and claws. The wreath will have slight friction on the high points of the leaves, with some slight loss of detail.
EF-40/45 specimens have wear across all of the high points of the obverse. The back of the cap, the hair below LIBERTY, the hair above the ear, the hair at the back of the neck, the cheek, and the neck will all have notice- able wear. Some of the hair will be worn sufficiently to be blended, particularly the hair above the ear. Reverse wing feathers will have noticeable wear on the tips, with some feathers now blended, and light wear will be seen on the central wing feathers. The breast feathers of the round-breast variety will be flattened slightly on well-struck coins but will show sharply around the edges. For poorly struck coins and the flat-breast variety, the central part of the breast may have feathers that are completely flat. The leg feathers will be mostly flat in these grades with detail on their edges, the claws flat though not blended with the branch and arrow shafts. The leaves will have the high points worn, with some loss of detail, though separate.
Wear to VF-20/35 will result in the blending of much of the hair detail, with one-half or more of the detail missing. The hair behind the neck will be flattened slightly and will have blending. Breast feathers on well-struck coins will be very flat in the center, with slight edge detail. Poorly struck and flat-breast coins will usually have no breast feather detail. Wing feathers will have worn slightly together in the outer and upper feathers, with most lower feathers separate. For lower VF grades, up to one-third or slightly more of the wing feathers may show some blending. Head and neck feathers will now show slight wear, though they should still be complete in the higher VF grades. Leg feathers will be very flat with slight edge detail, and the claws will be flat and blended. Higher VF coins will have some flattened wreath leaves with slight blending, while the lower grades of VF will have most of the leaves flat and blended.
F-12/15 coins will have some deeply recessed hair detail present, but the high points will be well-worn and blended. Much of the cap will be worn flat. Reverse wing feathers will show most feathers, though nearly all will show some blending; however, the upper wing is very flat. Breast and leg feathers will be totally worn smooth and the claws will be blended into the branch and arrow shafts. The neck and head feathers will now show only slightly. All of the leaves of the wreath will be flat and blended.
Wear to VG-8/10 will result in most of the upper hair being worn smooth, with only slight deep detail, the hair below the car having only the recessed areas present. For the cap area, some slight detail is still present, with the cotton bolls worn smooth but mostly outlined. There may be a few wing feathers still showing, mainly those nearest the breast, while the breast and leg feathers will be worn flat. The head and neck feathers will now be worn smooth, as will the claws. Only the deeper leaf detail will still be present, as the upper leaves are all flat and worn together.
G-4/6 specimens will have all of the upper hair worn flat, with only slight deep detail remaining in the hair below the ear. Little detail remains in the cap ornaments with all of the elements, including the cotton bolls, worn smooth and blended. The rims will be worn through most of the dentils and may touch the tops of some of the reverse lettering. Only a few wing feathers around the breast will still have any detail, with the breast, head, neck, and most of the wing feathers worn smooth. The wreath will be outlined, but there will be no leaf detail.
For AG-3 coins, a fulI LIBERTY, a partial ear, and a few deeply recessed spots in the lower hair are still present, and Miss Liberty still should be outlined. The rims will be worn into part of the lettering, stars, and date of the ob- verse. On the reverse, there may only be one, third or less of the peripheral lettering, as the rims of the reverse wear more quickly than the obverse. The eagle should be outlined except for the upper tips of the wing feathers. Amazingly, there still might be slight wing feather detail in the recessed areas at the lower part of the wing next to the breast. The wreath will be totally flat, with slight recessed detail and some blending. In FR-2, the obverse may have a totally flat Miss Liberty, but LIBERTY may still be partially present. The lettering, stars, and date may be mostly worn away. The reverse will have a partial eagle with no peripheral lettering and only IN GOD WE TRUST partially present. For branch-mint coins, a mint mark must be present, though it may be very indistinct. PO-1 coins will only be graded when a date and mint-mark, when applicable, are readable. There may be only a partial head of Miss Liberty, and the reverse may be worn nearly smooth.
What do you Morgan collectors think??
Best Regards,
Leo
Liberty Head (Morgan) Dollar (1878-1921) Circulated Examples
There are three main styles of reverses for Morgan Dollars that affect grading. The first is the flat-breast variety, seen on some 1878-1880 coins; the second is the round-breast variety, seen on most 1878-1904 issues; and the third is the groove-breast, seen only in 1921. Wear looks different for these reverses, and in the higher circulated grades this should be considered when determining remaining feather detail. The obverses are of two varieties, the one used from 1878-1904 and the one used only in 1921. These are graded similarly, though there is more relief on the 1878-1904 variety. Wear on the hair, especially above the ear, looks much different for the 1921 variety.
That said, AU-55/58 Morgan dollars have slight friction on the hair below LIBERTY, the hair above the ear, and the cheek. Reverse wear is noted on the eagle's head, breast, wing tips, legs, and claws. The wreath will have only slight friction on the highest points of the center leaves, with full detail except for localized weakness. Since some of these areas are often seen with strike weakness, careful examination is necessary. When wear is present, the surfaces are usually dull and discolored-strike weakness examples still having a bright, silvery look. When increased wear is present, as with AU-50/53, the friction is more obvious in the hair and is now seen on the entire high part of the face plus the front of the neck. The field is now rubbed, obvious wear often being accompanied by marks. Reverse wing feathers will now have slight friction, though all should still be very sharp. The breast feathers, especially on the round-breast variety, will be slightly flattened for these grades, as will the leg feathers and claws. The wreath will have slight friction on the high points of the leaves, with some slight loss of detail.
EF-40/45 specimens have wear across all of the high points of the obverse. The back of the cap, the hair below LIBERTY, the hair above the ear, the hair at the back of the neck, the cheek, and the neck will all have notice- able wear. Some of the hair will be worn sufficiently to be blended, particularly the hair above the ear. Reverse wing feathers will have noticeable wear on the tips, with some feathers now blended, and light wear will be seen on the central wing feathers. The breast feathers of the round-breast variety will be flattened slightly on well-struck coins but will show sharply around the edges. For poorly struck coins and the flat-breast variety, the central part of the breast may have feathers that are completely flat. The leg feathers will be mostly flat in these grades with detail on their edges, the claws flat though not blended with the branch and arrow shafts. The leaves will have the high points worn, with some loss of detail, though separate.
Wear to VF-20/35 will result in the blending of much of the hair detail, with one-half or more of the detail missing. The hair behind the neck will be flattened slightly and will have blending. Breast feathers on well-struck coins will be very flat in the center, with slight edge detail. Poorly struck and flat-breast coins will usually have no breast feather detail. Wing feathers will have worn slightly together in the outer and upper feathers, with most lower feathers separate. For lower VF grades, up to one-third or slightly more of the wing feathers may show some blending. Head and neck feathers will now show slight wear, though they should still be complete in the higher VF grades. Leg feathers will be very flat with slight edge detail, and the claws will be flat and blended. Higher VF coins will have some flattened wreath leaves with slight blending, while the lower grades of VF will have most of the leaves flat and blended.
F-12/15 coins will have some deeply recessed hair detail present, but the high points will be well-worn and blended. Much of the cap will be worn flat. Reverse wing feathers will show most feathers, though nearly all will show some blending; however, the upper wing is very flat. Breast and leg feathers will be totally worn smooth and the claws will be blended into the branch and arrow shafts. The neck and head feathers will now show only slightly. All of the leaves of the wreath will be flat and blended.
Wear to VG-8/10 will result in most of the upper hair being worn smooth, with only slight deep detail, the hair below the car having only the recessed areas present. For the cap area, some slight detail is still present, with the cotton bolls worn smooth but mostly outlined. There may be a few wing feathers still showing, mainly those nearest the breast, while the breast and leg feathers will be worn flat. The head and neck feathers will now be worn smooth, as will the claws. Only the deeper leaf detail will still be present, as the upper leaves are all flat and worn together.
G-4/6 specimens will have all of the upper hair worn flat, with only slight deep detail remaining in the hair below the ear. Little detail remains in the cap ornaments with all of the elements, including the cotton bolls, worn smooth and blended. The rims will be worn through most of the dentils and may touch the tops of some of the reverse lettering. Only a few wing feathers around the breast will still have any detail, with the breast, head, neck, and most of the wing feathers worn smooth. The wreath will be outlined, but there will be no leaf detail.
For AG-3 coins, a fulI LIBERTY, a partial ear, and a few deeply recessed spots in the lower hair are still present, and Miss Liberty still should be outlined. The rims will be worn into part of the lettering, stars, and date of the ob- verse. On the reverse, there may only be one, third or less of the peripheral lettering, as the rims of the reverse wear more quickly than the obverse. The eagle should be outlined except for the upper tips of the wing feathers. Amazingly, there still might be slight wing feather detail in the recessed areas at the lower part of the wing next to the breast. The wreath will be totally flat, with slight recessed detail and some blending. In FR-2, the obverse may have a totally flat Miss Liberty, but LIBERTY may still be partially present. The lettering, stars, and date may be mostly worn away. The reverse will have a partial eagle with no peripheral lettering and only IN GOD WE TRUST partially present. For branch-mint coins, a mint mark must be present, though it may be very indistinct. PO-1 coins will only be graded when a date and mint-mark, when applicable, are readable. There may be only a partial head of Miss Liberty, and the reverse may be worn nearly smooth.
What do you Morgan collectors think??
Best Regards,
Leo
Collecting: Dansco 7070; Middle Date Large Cents (VF-AU); Box of 20;
Successful BST transactions with: SilverEagles92; Ahrensdad; Smitty; GregHansen; Lablade; Mercury10c; copperflopper; whatsup; KISHU1; scrapman1077, crispy, canadanz, smallchange, robkool, Mission16, ranshdow, ibzman350, Fallguy, Collectorcoins, SurfinxHI, jwitten, Walkerguy21D, dsessom.
Successful BST transactions with: SilverEagles92; Ahrensdad; Smitty; GregHansen; Lablade; Mercury10c; copperflopper; whatsup; KISHU1; scrapman1077, crispy, canadanz, smallchange, robkool, Mission16, ranshdow, ibzman350, Fallguy, Collectorcoins, SurfinxHI, jwitten, Walkerguy21D, dsessom.
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Sorry for the long post...
Successful BST transactions with: SilverEagles92; Ahrensdad; Smitty; GregHansen; Lablade; Mercury10c; copperflopper; whatsup; KISHU1; scrapman1077, crispy, canadanz, smallchange, robkool, Mission16, ranshdow, ibzman350, Fallguy, Collectorcoins, SurfinxHI, jwitten, Walkerguy21D, dsessom.
Some Morgan collectors focus on mint state coins, and never learn to grade the circs.
For mint state coins, it is important to first look for wear on the high points and edge, to see if its an AU coin. An overall impression of luster, strike and overall eye appeal give a base grade. A coin must have knockout luster to deserve MS66 or better. Marks on the cheek and the obverse fields are the primary focal areas. Significant marks there generally limit a coin to MS64, lots of them and 63 and 62 come into play. MS61 and MS60 coins tend to look beat up, and/or have poor overall eye appeal. Like many other series, strike and wear are sometimes difficult to separate.
Some white coins in holders have been dipped. Overdipped coins will have diminished luster. Some pretty toned coins have been helped along. Learn about the various types of natural toning and the colors that usually appear. The best chance of original original coins are in GSA holders and Redfield holders, though beautiful toners will be uncommon in these holders. Redfields acquire target toning, usually an orange fade from the rim. GSA coins tend to be white, though a small number of toned coins were sold in other holders (not the uncirculated holders).
/ edited for typos /
Semper ubi sub ubi