Home U.S. Coin Forum
Options

Odd 1890-O Morgan Dollar

cmerlo1cmerlo1 Posts: 8,056 ✭✭✭✭✭

I bought this yesterday, because it looked interesting. The rim has a uniform indentation all the way around on both sides, and the whole coin has an appearance that looks 'off'. The edge also has a strange appearance. The coin weighs 24.5 grams, which is a little light, but may be OK because of the amount of wear. I'm thinking it's either:

  1. Been in some kind of bezel or good luck charm.
  2. A circulated counterfeit.

Any thoughts?



You Suck! Awarded 6/2008- 1901-O Micro O Morgan, 8/2008- 1878 VAM-123 Morgan, 9/2022 1888-O VAM-1B3 H8 Morgan | Senior Regional Representative- ANACS Coin Grading. Posted opinions on coins are my own, and are not an official ANACS opinion.

Comments

  • Options
    shortnockshortnock Posts: 504 ✭✭✭✭

    Railroad rim?

  • Options
    RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Mazel Tov!

  • Options
    CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 33,982 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Probably genuine ex-jewelry.

    Numismatist. 54 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Also won the PNG's Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.
  • Options
    JBKJBK Posts: 17,566 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Not sure if they ever did encased silver dollars, but if they did I'll bet thius was one.

  • Options
    cmerlo1cmerlo1 Posts: 8,056 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thanks, everyone. I was leaning toward it being encased after examining it at home. The more I think about it, the weirdness on the edge makes sense for that. It looks like it was removed from whatever was holding it a long time ago; I wish I could've seen what it was in!

    You Suck! Awarded 6/2008- 1901-O Micro O Morgan, 8/2008- 1878 VAM-123 Morgan, 9/2022 1888-O VAM-1B3 H8 Morgan | Senior Regional Representative- ANACS Coin Grading. Posted opinions on coins are my own, and are not an official ANACS opinion.
  • Options
    IrishMikeyIrishMikey Posts: 1,561 ✭✭✭

    The incuse area on the rim (outside the denticles) was probably due to the strike. I have seen many New Orleans silver dollars from the 1890's with that characteristic. Given the wear on the coin, who knows about the edge reeding?

  • Options
    rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    A lot of these Morgans were encased in belt buckles.... I had one....have no idea where it is now, have not seen it in years. Most likely this was in a buckle... Cheers, RickO

  • Options
    SaorAlbaSaorAlba Posts: 7,593 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I wonder if I took the 1884 Morgan out of my key fob if it would look like that?

Leave a Comment

BoldItalicStrikethroughOrdered listUnordered list
Emoji
Image
Align leftAlign centerAlign rightToggle HTML viewToggle full pageToggle lights
Drop image/file