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Description:
of Lady Liberty's hair, meet the truncated neck, one will find a small "M." This marking is the coin designer's initial, and the "M" is an indication of Morgan. There is also a similar "M" marking to be founGeorge T. Morgan. These coins have a mint mark of S for San Francisco. The weight of the Morgan Dollar is 26.73 grams (90% silver and 10% copper) with .7734 ounce of fine silver. There is a slight bit of tarnish on the coins. The inside of the box has the inscription Morgan Silver Dollar Collection. The box measures 6”x 4”x 1” and the coins measure 1 ½” in diameter. They are in very good condition! These coins are dated 1879-1880-1881.
The following is an in-depth description of the Morgan Silver Dollar by Raymond F Hanisco – “In examining the obverse (front side) of the coin there are a number of features that appear on the coin that one would find as commonly appearing on other U.S. coinage. If one looks at the outer circumference of the coin, they will fine denticles (teeth) encompassing the perimeter of the coin. From the 10 o'clock to the 3 o'clock positions just inside the denticles is a motto which reads E·PLURIBUS·UNUM. This Latin motto translates to the phrase, "Out of Many, One." The motto was first suggested by Pierre Eugene DuSinitiére in 1776, and placed on a banner held in the beak of the bald eagle on the U.S. Great Seal by Charles Thomson in 1782. At the bottom of the coin centered on the 6 o'clock position is the coin's date of manufacture. To the right of the date (as you are looking at the coin) are six stars, and to the left of the date are seven stars. This total of 13 stars represents the original 13 colonies that became the first states in the Union of the United States. The main device (primary image) on the coin is that of the head of Lady Liberty, facing left, as one is looking at the coin. She is said to possess classical Greek features even though she is considered to be rather full in the face. Her hair is pulled back off of the brow with curls cascading down the back of her neck. Lady Liberty's headdress is rather unique to say the least. On the back of Lady Liberty's head is what is sometimes called a "slave cap" or what is sometimes called a "freedom cap." It is reminiscent to the head wear viewed in paintings of the French Revolution.
Immediately in front of the "freedom cap" is a coronet crown inscribed with the word LIBERTY. Transitionally, tucked between the cap and coronet is an agricultural flora arrangement of sheaves of wheat at the top of Lady Liberty's head to two cotton bolls with leaves placed in such a way to appear as flowers tucked into her hair at her ear level. This is a very symbolic representation of post-Civil War unity of the nation. It represents North and South through the top agricultural products of each region and through their placement. Where the curls, d on the reverse of the coin as well. In studying the reverse (back side) of the Morgan Silver Dollar, one finds a number of features that are just as impressive as those found on the obverse. Once again, denticles are found following the perimeter of the coin. The main device is the American eagle with its wings spread and almost touching the denticles at the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock positions. The eagles head is facing to the left (as one is facing the coin), and held in the eagle's talons to the left is an olive branch, and to the
right are arrows. There is an old legend which states that if the country is at peace then the eagle's head faces the olive branch, and if the country is at war then the eagle's head faces the arrows. This tale does not seem to hold true. The eagle's head always faces the same way, and the only time on U.S. coins that the arrows and olive branch has changed sides seems to be from 1795 to 1807 on U.S. gold coins, and from 1801 to 1807 on U.S. silver coins. So, that covers the Franco-American Naval War and the Barbary Wars.
There has been no other time in the history of U.S. coinage that the arrows have been placed on the side to which the eagle's head is facing. Found on the upper perimeter of the coin just inside the denticles and separated by the eagle's wings, found running from the 8 o'clock to the 4 o'clock positions, is the name of the issuing country of the coin, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, with a single star appearing before and after the country's name. From the 7 o'clock position to the 5 o'clock position is the coin's denomination, ONE DOLLAR. Listed horizontally, above the eagle's head and between its wings, is the motto In God We Trust. This motto was first placed on the two cent piece in 1864. The motto was the result of a similar motto suggested to President Lincoln, in a letter, by a Pennsylvania minister as a promise to the American public that our country will never again be torn apart by Civil War. After the assassination of President Lincoln, Congress made the motto law stating the motto would appear on all coins large enough to carry it. The motto appears on U.S. coinage beginning in 1866. Surrounding the eagle across the lower portion of the coin is a laurel wreath which is tied with a bow at the 6 o'clock position. On the ribbon, seen on the inner loop of the bow, one will find the initial "M" for the coin designer's name, Morgan. It is on the reverse of the Morgan Silver Dollar that one will find the mintmark. It is located just below the wreath's bow, and above and between the "D" and the "O" of the word DOLLAR. Remember, if you do not find a mintmark on the coin, then the coin was manufactured at the Philadelphia Mint
| Status: For Sale |
Reference#: aan2778 |
| Condition:
Very Good |
Year:
1879-1881
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| Title:
Morgan Silver Dollars Boxed Set |
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