Q. David Bowers
As we get near to the bottom of the list, the sixth category contains 10 issues which are all scarce. Each has an estimated minimum population from 2,500 to 5,000 coins. I suggest that you review these varieties on a coin-by-coin basis using the individual sections later in the book. Conclude how much money you want to spend on each, and then seek the grade you can afford. At this level, 1895-S in particular is apt to be very heavily bagmarked.
The seventh category embraces 12 coins, each of which has an estimated population from 50 to 2,000 coins. Those at the very bottom of the list are 1893-S (rarest), 1892-S (second rarest), and 1895-0 (third rarest). Anyone of these coins is a numismatic prize in MS-60 to MS-62 grade. As I will advise subsequently under other, higher grades, I suggest that from 1879-CC Large CC over Small CC you opt to buy the Perfect CC instead; it will cost little if any more. Here at the low end of the list, each coin will be a challenge to acquire. Contemplate each purchase very carefully.
The following eight varieties are all very common, and each has an estimated minimum population in MS-60 to 62 grade of at least a million coins:
1921: 5,000,000 to 8,000,000 (the most common Morgan dollar at this grade level)
1881-S: 2,500,000 to 4,000,000
1885-O: 2,250,000 to 3,500,000
1884-O: 2,000,000 to 3,000,000
1883-O: 1,500,000 to 2,500,000
1887: 1,200,000 to 2,400,000
1886: 1,000,000 to 2,000,000
1921-S: 1,000,000 to 2,000,000
These 22 coins are also very common, and have estimated minimum populations of from 250,000 to 750,000 pieces:
1921-D: 750,000 to 1,500,000
1880-S: 750,000 to 1,250,000
1879-S, Third Reverse: 750,000 to 1,250,000
1885: 600,000 to 1,200,000
1904-O: 600,000 to 1,200,000
1878-S: 600,000 to 1,000,000
1896: 500,000 to 1,000,000
1884-CC: 550,000 to 575,000
1883-CC: 500,000 to 550,000
1889: 400,000 to 800,000
1900: 400,000 to 800,000
1882-S: 350,000 to 700,000
1882-CC: 350,000 to 450,000
1888: 300,000 to 600,000
1890: 300,000 to 600,000
1898-O: 300,000 to 600,000
1899-O: 300,000 to 600,000
1902-O: 300,000 to 600,000
1903: 300,000 to 600,000
1897: 250,000 to 500,000
1898: 250,000 to 500,000
1900-O: 250,000 to 500,000
These 14 varieties have estimated minimum populations in MS-60 to 62 grades of 100,000 to 200,000 specimens:
1891: 200,000 to 400,000
1883: 175,000 to 275,000
1901-O: 150,000 to 300,000
1882: 150,000 to 250,000
1884: 150,000 to 225,000
1880: 120,000 to 240,000
1903-O: 120,000 to 240,000
1878-CC: 120,000 to 160,000
1879: 100,000 to 200,000
1881: 100,000 to 200,000
1881-O: 100,000 to 200,000
1882-O: 100,000 to 200,000
1888-O: 100,000 to 200,000
1880-CC: 100,000 to 150,000
These 27 coins have estimated minimum populations of from 25,000 to 80,000 coins:
1902: 80,000 to 160,000
1885-CC: 80,000 to 90,000
1892: 75,000 to 150,000
1881-CC: 70,000 to 90,000
1904: 60,000 to 120,000
1890-O: 60,000 to 100,000
1878 8 TF: 50,000 to 100,000
1878 7 TF, Second Reverse, PAF: 50,000 to 100,000
1899: 50,000 to 100,000
1887-0: 50,000 to 80,000
1890-S: 45,000 to 80,000
1878 7/0ther TF: 40,000 to 80,000
1892-O: 40,000 to 80,000
1900-O/CC: 40,000 to 80,000
1897-S: 40,000 to 75,000
1879-O: 40,000 to 70,000
1885-S: 40,000 to 70,000
1891-CC: 40,000 to 70,000
1891-S: 40,000 to 70,000
1887-S: 40,000 to 60,000
1889-S: 35,000 to 55,000
1891-O: 35,000 to 55,000
1893: 30,000 to 60,000
1886-S: 30,000 to 50,000
1888-S: 30,000 to 50,000
1889-O: 30,000 to 50,000
1902-S: 25,000 to 40,000
These 11 varieties each have estimated minimum populations from 6,000 to 20,000 coins:
1890-CC: 20,000 to 50,000
1878 7 TF, Third Reverse, SAF: 20,000 to 40,000
1898-S: 20,000 to 40,000
1892-CC: 20,000 to 35,000
1900-S: 20,000 to 30,000
1893-CC: 15,000 to 30,000
1899-S: 15,000 to 25,000
1901-S: 15,000 to 25,000
1883-S: 10,000 to 20,000
1880-O: 7,500 to 15,000
1894-S: 7,000 to 12,000
The following 10 varieties each has an estimated minimum population from 2,500 to 5,000 coins:
1886-O: 5,000 to 10,000
1897-O: 5,000 to 10,000
1904-S: 5,000 to 10,000
1889-CC: 5,000 to 8,000
1879-CC perfect CC: 3,250 to 4,500
1887/6: 3,000 to 6,000
1896-S: 3,000 to 5,000
1894: 2,500 to 5,000
1895-S: 2,500 to 5,000
1879-S, Second Reverse: 2,500 to 4,500
-The final 12 coins on the list are the rarest:
1894-O: 2,000 to 4,000
1896-O: 2,000 to 4,000
1879-CC large CC over small CC: 1,750 to 2,500
1884-S: 1,500 to 3,000
1893-O: 1,500 to 3,000
1887/6-0: 1,000 to 2,000
1903-S: 1,000 to 2,000
1901: 750 to 1,500
1882-O/S: 500 to 1,000
1895-O: 125 to 250
1892-S: 75 to 150
1893-S: 50 to 100