The 1894 Morgan Dollar

Coin Finder · April 19, 2006 2:37PM

A Question for the forum. Ths coin has a low mintage but that can be decieving. These are priced high these days, not sure why.

Can anyone explain the differance between the 1894 proofs and the biz strikes?

Are these coin in high demand ...the biz strikes?

Thanks in advance.

mnmcoin · April 19, 2006 2:42PM

I think that this is an extremely scarce coin. I also think it is way over shadowed by the 93s. Don't get me wrong the 93s is a truly scarce coin, but seriously, go to a major show and count the 93s coins and the 94 coins...I think you will be suprised with the results.

morris <><

Coxe · April 19, 2006 3:45PM

Excellent question. This is extremely relevant in differentiating top grade prooflikes from full proof strikes for that date, the former being much significantly rarer. (This is my specialty.)

Despite the VAM book's two varieties, with VAM-1 being the business strike and VAM-2 being the proof strike, there were actually two different obverse dies used in striking the proofs from my observations. First, a simple key point of differentiation. Look at the upright of the 4 in the date. On proof strikes, it falls nearly straight down over the 13th denticle from the bust tip. It will be clearly between the 12th and 13th denticles on the business strikes. There are misattributed ones on both sides of that curtain which can be verified as not simply cross-use of the working dies by further examination. The rim on the 1894 cannot be used as a deterministic factor, nor can the squaring of the denticles for the full 360 degrees on both sides. (These are 19th century proofs.) A proof that is designated as a prooflike business strike would be a serious mistake. As for the two different proof obverse dies, look at the position of the 1 in the date. You will find two slightly different starting positions relative to the 3rd denticle as well as its lean. The centerline of the 8 relative to the 6th denticle also is slightly different between the dies.

Another serious issue is the altered 1894-O. I could go on about that as well. Complicating them though is that for some, a common hub was used in preparing the reverse dies. (You can see it if you look at the left reverse star. The tip pointing to the rim is significantly smaller and leans toward ONE.)

(edited to correct typos.)

Coin Finder · April 19, 2006 11:54PM

Thanks!

The 1894 Morgan Dollar

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