Q. David Bowers
The May 1965 issue of The Numismatist included an advertisement by Harry J. Forman, Inc. for Un-circulated rolls of Morgan dollars (20 pieces per roll) as follows. This listing gives a good indication of dates available in quantity on the dealer scene at the time. Nearly all of these rolls came from the 1962-1964 Treasury release. By 1965; rolls of coins that had come out from the San Francisco Mint, the Treasury Building Cash Room, and other sources in the mid-1950s had been dispersed.
This offering of 56 different varieties comprises over half the coins needed in a full set of Morgan dollars (which, depending upon the "feather varieties" of 1878-1879 included, contains 97 or more different coins). Harry J. Forman and his partner, Ruth Bauer, sold primarily to other dealers, who in turn broke up the rolls and retailed the coins singly. The availability of so many different varieties of spatkling Mint State coins for relatively. low prices did much to stimulate interest in the Morgan series. Over a period of time, Morgan dollars. edged out Lincoln cents to become the most popular American numismatic specialty.
1878 7 TF. Unc, $62.00 per roll.
1878 8 TF. Unc. $265.00 per roll.
1878 7/8 TF. Unc, $375.00 per roll.
1878-CC Unc. $180.00 per roll.
1878-S Unc. $37.00 per roll.
1879-O Unc. $105.00 per roll.
1879-S Unc, $30.00 per roll.
1880-CC Unc. $1,050.00 per roll.
1880-O Unc, $47.50 per roll.
1880-S Unc. $30.00 per roll.
1881 Unc. $70.00 per roll.
1881-O Unc. $39.50 per roll.
1881-S Unc. $29.50 per roll
1882-CC Unc, $435.00 per roll.
1882-O Unc, $37.50 per roll.
1882-S Unc. $32.00 per roll.
1883 Unc. $42.50 per roll.
1883-CC Unc. $425.00 per roll.
1883-O Unc. $28.50 per roll.
1884 Unc. $42.00 per roll.
1884-CC Unc. $550.00 per roll.
1884-O Unc. $29.00 per roll.
1885 Unc. $28.50 per roll.
1885-CC Unc, $1,050.00 per roll.
1885-S Unc. $210.00 per roll.
1886 Unc. $28.00 per roll.
1886-O Unc. $375.00 per roll.
1886-S Unc, $825.00 per roll.
1887 Unc. $28.50 per roll.
1887-O Unc, $75.00 per roll.
1888 Unc, $28.50 per roll.
1889 Unc. $38.50 per roll.
1890 Unc. $62.50 per roll.
1890-CC Unc. $465.00 per roll.
1891-CC Unc. $450.00 per roll,
1892 Unc. $400.00 per rolL
1892-O Unc. $210.00 per roll.
1893 Unc. $1,025.00 per roll.
1894 Unc. $3,950.00 per roll.
1896 Unc. $58.50 per roll.
1896-S Unc. $2,700.00 per roll.
1897 Unc. $105.00 per roll.
1898 Unc, $67.50 per roll.
1898-O Unc. $52.50 per roll.
1899 Unc. $495.00 per roll.
1899-O Unc, $31.50 per roll.
1900 Unc. $35.00 per roll.
1900-O Unc. $32.00 per roll.
1900-S Unc. $410.00 per roll.
1901-S Unc. $595.00 per roll.
1902 Unc. $110.00 per roll
1902-O Unc. $32.00 per roll.
1902-S Unc. $900.00 per roll.
1903 Unc. $150.00 per roll.
1903-O Unc. $535.00 per roll.
1904-O Unc. $44.00 per roll.
The September 1965 issue of The Numismatist carried an advertisement for Redman Coins, Inc., Dayton, Ohio, offering Morgan dollars at the follow-ing prices. The true scarcity in Mint State of such issues as 1884-S, 1886-O, 1895-O, 1896-O, and 1901 had not been recognized yet. Note that the listing includes the rare 1889-CC. I recall that most 1892-S dollars advertised as "Uncirculated" during this time were in reality pieces with light evidence of circula-tion. (This comment does not refer to the Redman advertisement, as I did not see the Redman coin, but refers to listings in general).
1878 Unc. $3.95.
1878 7/8 TF. Unc. $16.50.
1878 8 TF. Unc. $14.50.
1878-CC Unc. $8.25.
1879-CC Unc. $160.00.
879-O Unc. $5.50.
1880 Unc. $2.50.
1880-CC Unc. $45.00.
1880-O Unc, $2.75.
1881 Unc. $3.50.
1881-CC Unc, $49.50.
1882-CC Unc, $20.00.
1883-CC Unc, $2l.00.
1883-S Unc. $24.00.
1884-CC Unc. $29.75.
1884-S Unc. $24.00.
1885-CC Unc. $52.50.
1885-S Unc. $1l.50.
1886-O Unc. $16.00.
1886-S Unc. $32.50.
1887-O Unc. $4.50.
1887-S Unc. $15.00.
1889-CC Unc. $650.00.
1889-O Unc. $7.75.
1889-S Unc. $39.50.
1890 Unc. $5.75.
1890-CC Unc. $20.00.
1890-O Unc, $3.75.
1890-S Unc. $7.50.
1891 Unc. $14.00.
1891-CC Unc. $20.00.
1891-O Unc. $5.00.
1891-S Unc. $14.50.
1892 Unc. $17.50.
1892-CC Unc. $44.50.
1892-O Unc. $12.00.
1892-S Unc. $450.00.
1893 Unc. $50.00.
1893-CC Unc. $169.00.
1893-O Unc. $120.00.
1894 Unc. $195.00.
1894-O Unc. $25.00.
1894-S Unc. $43.50.
1895-O Unc. $150.00.
1895-S Unc. $495.00.
1896 Unc. $3.50 ..
1896-O Unc. $15.00.
1896-S Unc. $150.00.
1897 Unc. $5.00.
1897-O Unc. $18.50.
1897-S Unc. $8.50.
1898 Unc. $3.00.
1898-O Unc. $2.50.
1898-S Unc. $27.50.