| 1895 SILVER
DOLLAR
PCGS No: 7330, 87330, 97330
Mintage:
Circulation strikes: 12,000 (experts believe these were all melted down...the
circulated examples that are known appear to be worn Proofs)
Proofs: 880+
Designer: George T. Morgan
Diameter: 38.1 millimeters
Metal Content:
Silver - 90%
Copper - 10%
Weight: 26.73 grams
Edge: Reeded
Mintmark: None (for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) below
the center of the wreath on the reverse
Significant example:
PCGS Proof-66. Ex - Bowers & Merena Galleries "The
Rarities Sale", July 31, 2002, Lot 516, illustrated, sold for $50,600.00 |
Notes:
Called the "King of Morgan Dollars", the 1895 is one of the most desirable and sought-after
dates in the series. Although Mint records indicate a mintage of 12,000 circulation strikes,
experts believe that only 880 Proofs were made in 1895. The existence of several circulated
examples confuses the issue, but those are believed to have been Proofs that were spent
inadvertently. Ownership of this popular rarity is the true measure of completeness for a
collection of Morgan Dollars - the 1895 Proof is the only real "stopper" in the series.
Presumably, Proofs can be told apart from
potential circulation strikes by the number of edge "reeds" (the raised "bumps" on the edge of
the coin). Proofs will have 179 "reeds", whereas circulation strikes will have some other
number.
PCGS has graded more Proofs of this date than
any other, although the number may be inflated due to re-submissions. A surprising percentage
of the coins examined by PCGS have been "spent" Proofs - 68 coins have been certified below
Proof-60. The finest 1895 Silver Dollars graded by PCGS are a single PR-68, 4 PR-67 Cameos,
and a single PR-68 Deep Cameo. |
