This 1882-O/S Strong Morgan silver dollar is a rare relic from an exciting time in American history. This coin, like any O/S Morgan dollar coin still available, is one of the few that managed to avoid being melted down in 1918, when the U.S. government melted down hundreds of millions of dollars of silver coins in order to mint new varieties of dimes, nickels, quarters, half dollars, and silver dollars. Because of their rarity, O/S Morgan dollar coins (also called VAM after the name of a coin catalog from the 1980s) can be of great value to numismatic enthusiasts who collect coins as an investment, but they can also be of great historical value, as they represent an interesting moment in the history of American coinage. The Morgan dollar was first minted in 1878, after gold and silver rushes in Nevada had yielded abundant new precious metals to be used in coins. Amid the changes in laws regarding coinage, including new regulations about how much silver the government could use to mint coins, George T. Morgan, the United States Mint Assistant Engraver, received the commission to design a new silver dollar. The O/S Strong Morgan dollar is not the only type of U.S. coin to feature a profile of Lady Liberty on the obverse and an eagle on the reverse. The coin was notoriously difficult to strike, and Morgan dollars tended to crack easily. Another interesting feature of this coin is that, in its early years, the eagle on the reverse had eight tail feathers, but later coins showed the eagle with seven feathers. The inscriptions on the coin are similar to those found on today’s U.S. coins. The Morgan dollar was minted at the San Francisco Mint, the New Orleans Mint, the Denver Mint, the Carson City Mint, and the Philadelphia Mint; VAM coins from the latter group are recognizable by their lack of a mint mark. 1882-O Morgan dollars, for example, are those minted in New Orleans in 1882. They are made of .90 silver. VAM coins, like this 1882-O/S Morgan dollar coin, can be of great interest to collectors because only a few thousand of them are still in existence. This 1882-O Morgan dollar coin is one of only 69 known coins from that year and that mint. Any collectors who value rare coins can appreciate this 1882-O Morgan dollar coin. The value of this coin is matched by its beauty and by its connection to a period in American history characterized by possibilities and uncertainty. It can be a stunningly beautiful and impressively rare part of any coin collection.
Product Identifiers
Designer
George T. Morgan
eBay Product ID (ePID)
170397535
Product Key Features
Strike Type
Business
Mint Location
New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana
Composition
90% Silver, 10% Copper
Year
1882
Dimensions
Weight
26.73g
Additional Product Features
Mintage
69
Major Variety
O/S Strong
EDGE
Reeded
Mint
New Orleans
Denomination
$1
PCGS Number
7138
Diameter
38.1mm
Mint Mark
O
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