New Purchase: 1880-CC Gem Prooflike Toned Morgan Dollar

Stuart

Here's a new purchase that I made from the Heritage Auction at the recent Houston SW Money Show.

It really helped to see the coin in person, during the auction viewing, as this coin is very tough to accurately image because of the combination of toning and Prooflike surfaces. (The white line on the obv at about 11:30 is a light scratch on the plastic slab)

1880-CC Gem Prooflike Toned Morgan Dollar

UtahCoin

WOW, darn near looks like a proof!

bidask

Very nice!

JRocco

Looks like you went on quite a buying spree my old friend.

This one looks like a killer coin Stuart

And it is good to see you posting again.

DJCoinz

Beauty. I'm gonna say it's a 65PL.

coinsarefun

I bet it is stunning in hand.

I was thinking to sell my average but nice ones
and start a collection of toned, prooflike
Morgan's.
You have helped me make my mind up to start
now!

DoubleEagle59

gorgeous!!

ms64PL

Oney

I like the look of that coin!

dizzlecc

It looks like a nice coin are the colors orange or red? Also do the mirrors show through the toning. Tougher coin in 65pl.

tradedollarnut

Of all the coins you've ever graced us with pictures of, this one is my least favorite. Perhaps it's just the image...

ricko

Except for the toning.. very, very nice.... Cheers, RickO

Stuart

TradeDollarNut: Thanks for your post and comments. I understand what you mean, as this coin was extremely tough to image. In fact, I decided to bid on it because I was able to view it in hand prior to the auction. I would likely have not bid on the coin solely from the Heritage Auction images.

The coin fields light up with PL reflectivity that emanates from beneath the reddish-brown colored toning when the coin is rotated in the light. 1880-CC's become tough to find in MS-65 PL grade and higher, because this date tended to be heavily abraded with bagmarks. It is also a bit lightly struck as evidenced by the planchet striations on Miss Liberty's cheek (like often seen on a 1902-S Morgan).

In addition, most PL/DMPL Morgan collectors prefer more white less toned coins because they exhibit more of the mirror surface reflectivity that many Morgan Dollar collectors prefer.

Unfortunately my photos of this coin posted earlier in this thread, seem to depict it as rather dull and lackluster. This is the type of Morgan that many would try to dip for a shot to upgrade from 65-PL to 65-DMPL -- but not me.

I like her the way that she is, and will keep her preserved that way!!

Coxe

I bet that looks a lot nicer in hand than the images suggest. Also probably got the PL designation years back. Of all the silver dollars, the toned ones are currently the hardest to get PL/DMPL from PCGS and NGC. I doubt the reverse would be blessed by either because of it.

I agree that they are very difficult to image. I am going to need a pro I know to help me get started in doing the DMPLs for my Morgan book. Seems you can never capture the mirrors without losing the constrasting cameo or without making it look like a completely different coin. Toning is even harder. The guys who can accurately capture that deserve a lot of respect.