Q. David Bowers
The September 1957 issue of The Numismatist carried an advertisement by Harry J. Forman, of Philadelphia, stating that he had available in quantity the following dates of Morgan dollars, and that "rolls and Mint-sealed sacks of certain dates, such as Carson City, [were] available for investors and speculators."
1878-CC, 1878-S, 1879-O, 1879-S, 1880, 1880-CC, 1880-S, 1881, 1881-CC, 1881-O, 1881-S, 1882-CC, 1882-O, 1882-S, 1883-CC, 1883-O, 1884, 1884-O, 1885, 1885-CC, 1885-O, 1886, 1887, 1887-O, 1888-O, 1889, 1890, 1891, 1891-CC, 1896,1897, 1897-S, 1898, 1900, 1900-O, and 1903.
In the September 1957 issue of The Numismatist, Harry W. Bason, New Hyde Park, New York, of-fered Morgan dollars for sale. Bason continued to be a major supplier of dollars during this era, and his advertisements were numerous.
The following listing is comprehensive and includes such rarities as 1898-O, 1903-O (in particular), and 1904-O, which were seldom seen on the market. So far as I know, 1903-O dollars were not being released by the Treasury at the time, not even in small quantities. It was the practice of certain dealers to make their advertisements more comprehensive by listing everything, whether it was in stock ornot. This may have been the case with Bason, but this is conjecture. However, I seriously doubt if he could deliver Uncirculated 1903-O dollars. In 1957 the 1903-O was so rare that most dealers, including specialists in silver dollars, had never seen, let alone handled, one. Nevertheless, the following listing is a good guide to theoretical retail prices of the time.
1878 7 TF. Unc, $2.00.
1878 8 TF. Unc, $6.90.
1878-CC Unc, $2.00.
1878-S Unc. $1.75.
1879 Unc. $1.75.
1879-CC Unc. $4.50.
1879-O Unc, $3.50.
1879-S Unc. $2.00.
1880 Unc. $1.75.
1880-CC Unc. $3.50.
1880-O Unc. $2.50.
1880-S Unc, $2.00.
1881 Unc. $1.75.
1881-CC Unc, $3.50.
1881-O Unc. $2.75.
1881-S Unc. $2.00.
1881 Unc. $1.75.
1882 Unc. $2.00.
1882-CC Unc. $3.00.
1882-O Unc. $2.50.
1882-S Unc. $2.70.
1883 Unc. $2.00.
1883-CC Unc. $3.00.
1883-O Unc. $2.50.
1883-S Unc. $2.70.
1884 Unc. $2.50.
1884-CC Unc. $3.00.
1884-O Unc. $3.00.
1884-S Unc, $6.50.
1885 Unc. $2.50.
1885-CC Unc. $3.00.
1885-O Unc. $2.75.
1885-S Unc. $3.00.
1886 Unc, $2.25.
1886-O Unc. $6.90.
1886-S Unc, $2.50.
1887 Unc. $2.50:
1887-O Unc. $3.90.
1887-S Unc. $2.50.
1888 Unc. $2.25.
1888-O Unc. $3.90.
1888-S Unc. $2.50.
1889 Unc. $2.00.
1889-CC Unc. $50.00.
1889-S Unc. $2.50.
1890 Unc. $2.00.
1890-CC Unc: $2.50.
1890-O Unc. $3.50.
1890-S Unc. $2.50.
1891 Unc. $1.90.
1891-CC Unc. $2,50.
1891-O Unc. $3.50.
1891-S Unc, $2.00.
1892 Unc.$3.00.
1892-CC Unc. $3.00.
1892-O Unc. $4.50.
1892-S Unc. $35.00.
1893 Unc. $3.00.
1893-CC Unc. $12.50.
1893-O Unc. $7.50.
1893-S Unc. $225.00.
1894 Unc. $19.50.
1894-O Unc. $4.75.
1894-S Unc. $5.50.
1895-O Unc. $19.50.
1895-S Unc. $35.00.
1896 Unc. $2.50.
1896-O Unc. $4.50.
1896-S Unc. $19.50.
1897 Unc. $2.50.
1897-O Unc. $4.50.
1897-S Unc. $2.50.
1898 Unc. $2.50.
1898-O Unc, $32.50.
1898-S Unc. $2.50.
1899 Unc. $7.90.
1899-O Unc. $4.75.
1899-S Unc. $2.75.
1900 Unc. $2.25.
1900-O Unc, $2.50.
1900-S Unc, $2.50.
1901 Unc, $7.50.
1901-O Unc. $4.25.
1901-S Unc. $3.00.
1902 Unc. $6.50.
1902-O Unc. $25.00.
1902-S Unc. $3.50.
1903 Unc. $2.45.
1903-O Unc. $250.00.
1903-S Unc. $25.00.
1904 Unc. $4.50.
1904-O Unc. $75.00.
1904-S Unc, $4.75.
1921 Unc. $2.00.
1921-D Unc. $2.00.
1921-S Unc. $2.00.