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Morgan dollars: Hub Varieties for the "Basic Set"
Sunnywood
Posts: 2,683 ✭
The PCGS Registry "Basic Set" of business strike Morgan dollars contains 97 coins. The set includes the 1878 8TF and 1878 7TF coins, and even the 7/8 tail feathers "Strong" variety. My idea of the "Basic Set" includes an additional three hub variety coins that I believe most Morgan dollar collectors would consider to be very basic. If these were included in the Basic Set, it rounds out to a nice even (100) coins to collect. The three missing basic varieties are:
1878 7TF Reverse of 1879
1879-S Reverse of 1878
1880/79-CC Reverse of 1878
For anyone who doesn't know, the first reverse design had eight tail feathers (8TF) on the eagle. This was revised to seven tail feathers to be more in keeping with nature (birds always have a center tail feather, hence an odd number total). This second reverse (7 tail feathers, or 7TF, Reverse of 1878, has a concave breast on the eagle, and the top two feathers on the arrow fletching have parallel edges. In order to improve the appearance of the eagle's breast, the hub was redesigned late in 1878 to have a convex eagle's breast. This is the third reverse, 7TF, Reverse of 1879. It is called reverse of 1879 because most 1878 coins have the second reverse, while most 1879 coins have this third reverse. However, some 1878 coins were struck in Philadelphia with reverse dies from the new hub, so there are "1878 7TF Reverse of 1879" coins.
In addition, some 1879-S coins were struck with the older style Reverse of 1878 die. And in 1880, some coins were struck at the Carson City mint using overdate obverse dies and the older style reverse die. So interestingly, no 1879-CC has the reverse of 1878, but some 1880-CC have it. However, the only known 1880-CC with the second reverse also have overdate obverse dies, such as 1880/79-CC.
Here are PCGS True View images (medium size, 1100x555 pixels) of these three varieties, from Sunnywood's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" Collection of toned Morgan dollars:
Best,
Sunnywood
1878 7TF Reverse of 1879
1879-S Reverse of 1878
1880/79-CC Reverse of 1878
For anyone who doesn't know, the first reverse design had eight tail feathers (8TF) on the eagle. This was revised to seven tail feathers to be more in keeping with nature (birds always have a center tail feather, hence an odd number total). This second reverse (7 tail feathers, or 7TF, Reverse of 1878, has a concave breast on the eagle, and the top two feathers on the arrow fletching have parallel edges. In order to improve the appearance of the eagle's breast, the hub was redesigned late in 1878 to have a convex eagle's breast. This is the third reverse, 7TF, Reverse of 1879. It is called reverse of 1879 because most 1878 coins have the second reverse, while most 1879 coins have this third reverse. However, some 1878 coins were struck in Philadelphia with reverse dies from the new hub, so there are "1878 7TF Reverse of 1879" coins.
In addition, some 1879-S coins were struck with the older style Reverse of 1878 die. And in 1880, some coins were struck at the Carson City mint using overdate obverse dies and the older style reverse die. So interestingly, no 1879-CC has the reverse of 1878, but some 1880-CC have it. However, the only known 1880-CC with the second reverse also have overdate obverse dies, such as 1880/79-CC.
Here are PCGS True View images (medium size, 1100x555 pixels) of these three varieties, from Sunnywood's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" Collection of toned Morgan dollars:
Best,
Sunnywood
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Comments
Adding another CC to an already tough set? That's just mean..............
You have some really nice toners there Sunnywood and PCGS did you justice on the pictures. That 80/79-CC Rev. of 78 really stands out and bites you.