Q. David Bowers
The June 1960 issue of The Numismatist carried Harry W. Bason's advertisement for Uncirculated Morgan dollars. The listing was quite comprehensive and included Mint State examples of such rarities as the 1889-CC, 1898-O, 1903-O, 1904-O. Once again, whether or not Mr. Bason actually had examples of 1903-O in stock is not known; sometimes it was a practice of dealers (this comment is not with reference to Mr. Bason but in general; see related comment under May 1955 advertisement-of W.E. Johnson quoted earlier) to advertise coins for sale in various grades, stating the prices they would charge if they had them. California dealer Abe Kosoff used this as the center point for one of his favorite anecdotes, which over the years involved many different coins. It went something like this:
Collector to Dealer A: I want to buy your Uncirculated 1895-O dollar, but the price you ask of $50 is too high. Dealer B charges only $25.
Dealer A to Collector: Well, then buy one from Dealer B. Collector to Dealer A: But Dealer B says he doesn't have an 1895-O in stock right now.
Dealer A to Collector: Well, when I don't have' one in stock, my price is only $15, but now that I do' have one the price is $50.
If orders were received, certain' dealers in silver dollars would scurry about seeking to acquire pieces from other dealers to fill them. Increasingly, dealers began to stretch their grading. I recall that during this time many advertisements for scarce New Orleans dollars in particular were apt to yield AU coins if "Uncirculated" pieces were ordered.
In any event, this listing of Uncirculated coins is one of the most comprehensive to appear in print up to this point in time. The low price for 1896-O may reflect a quantity being released on the market at this time.
1878 7 TF. Unc. $2.90.
1878 8 TF. Unc. $4.25.
18787/8 Unc, $8.50.
1878-CC Unc. $3.90.
1878.-S Unc. $2.50.
1879 Unc. $2.50.
1879-CC Unc. $45.50.
1879-O Unc. $3.50.
1879-S Unc. $2.50.
1880 Unc. $2.50.
1880-CC Unc. $10.00.
1880-O Unc. $3.75.
1880-S Unc. $2.50.
1881 Unc. $2.50.
1881-CC Unc. $12.00.
1881-O Unc. $2.50.
1881-S Unc. $2.50.
1882 Unc. $2.25.
1882-CC Unc. $6.90.
1882-O Unc. $2.75.
1882-S Unc. $2.90.
1883 Unc, $2.25.
1883-CC Unc. $6.90.
1883-O Unc, $2.50.
1883-S Unc. $5.90.
1884 Unc. $2.25.
1884-CC Unc, $9.50
1884-O Unc. $2.50.
1884-S Unc. $9.90.
1885 Unc. $2.25.
1885-CC Unc. $17.00.
1885-O Unc. $2.50.
1885-S Unc. $6.50.
1886 Unc. $2.25.
1886-O Unc. $5.90.
1886-S Unc. $14.90.
1887 Unc, $2.50.
1887-O Unc. $2.90.
1887-S Unc. $9.90.
1888 Unc. $2.50.
1888-O Unc, $3.75.
1888-S Unc. $14.90.
1889 Unc, $2.25.
1889-CC Unc. $150.00.
1889-O Unc. $3.90.
1889-S Unc. $10.50.
1890 Unc. $2.50.
1890-CC Unc. $10.50.
1890-O Unc. $3.90.
1891 Unc. $2.25.
1891-CC Unc. $9.50.
1891-O Unc. $4.25.
1891-S Unc. $4.25.
1892 Unc. $4.50.
1892-CC Unc. $18.75.
1892-O Unc. $4.90.
1892-S Unc. $95.00.
1893 Unc. $5.90.
1893-CC Unc. $39.50.
1893-O Unc. $17.90.
1893-S Unc. $490.00.
1894 Unc. $30.50.
1894-O Unc. $7.50.
1894-S Unc. $19.50.
1895-O Unc. $27.50.
1895-S Unc. $125.00.
1896 Unc. $2.25.
1896-O Unc. $3.90.
1896-S Unc. $35.90.
1897 Unc. $2.25.
1897-O Unc. $3.90.
1897-S Unc. $4.50.
1898 Unc. $2.25.
1898-O Unc. $225.00.
1898-S Unc. $4.75.
1899 Unc. $5.90.
1899-O Unc. $3.90.
1899-S Unc. $7.50.
1900 Unc. $2.50.
1900-O Unc. $3.90.
1900-S Unc. $7.50.
1901 Unc. $7.50.
1901-O Unc. $4.90.
1901-S Unc. $9.90.
1902 Unc. $2.50.
1902-O Unc. $27.50.
1902-S Unc. $12.90.
1903 Unc. $2.25.
1903-O Unc. $490.00.
1903-S Unc. $45.00.
1904 Unc. $5.50.
1904-O Unc. $250.00.
1921 Unc. $2.50.
1921-D Unc. $2.50.
1921-S Unc. $2.50.