Q. David Bowers
Total Certified Population: Analysis The order of availability of certified Morgan dollars in Mint State, as shown by the combined grades of PCGS and NGC coins, is as follows, in rank from the commonest (1881-S) to the rarest. This represents all grades from MS-60 through MS-69 totaled. In practice, many dates are common in one grade and very rare in another.
This listing is not to be taken as an absolute indication of availability in all grades. It is useful only to determine the availability of coins in certified holders. Actually, by far the most common Morgan dollar in Uncirculated grade is the 1921, but until now, 1921 dollars in such grades as MS-60 and MS-63 have had such low market values that relatively few have been submitted for certification, due to the fees involved. However, this listing makes interesting reading, and certainly the varieties near the top of the list are much more common than those at the bottom.
1. 1881-S: 110,141 certified (Most common certified Morgan dollar)
2.1880-S: 63,442
3..1885-O: 51,123
4.1884-O: 47,832
5. 1887: 45,887
6.1879-S Third Rev. (Rev. of '79): 43,904
7.1886: 39,580
8. 1882-S: 35,385
9. 1904-O: 35,280
10. 1883-O: 30,316
11. 1898-O: 23,638
12. 1885: 22,210
13. 1899-O: 19,440
14. 1884-CC: 15,703
15. 1883-CC: 15,246
16.1902-O: 15,187
17.1900-O: 14,744
18.1921: 14,572
19. 1878-S: 13,823
20. 1888: 12,441
21. 1896: 11,558
22. 1883: 11,212
23. 1900: 10,769
24. 1882-CC: 10,432
25. 1901-O: 9,260
26. 1881-CC: 7,295
27. 1885-CC: 6,914
28. 1878-CC: 6,758
29. 1882-O: 6,735
30. 1888-O: 6,698
31. 1903: 6,561
32. 1898: 6,467
33. 1884: 6,356
34. 1882: 5,629
35. 1881-O: 5,493
36. 1921-D: 5,467
37. 1897: 5,457
38. 1903-O: 5,228
39. 1890: 4,513
40. 1880-CC: 4,508
41. 1880: 4,494
42. 1897-S: 4,404
43. 1879: 4,330
44. 1890-O: 4,071
45. 1891-CC: 3,929
46. 1889: 3,854
47. 1881: 3,735
48. 1878-7 TF. Rev. of '78: 3,687
49. 1899: 3,606
50. 1890-S: 3,490
51. 1878-S TF: 3,190
52. 1921-S: 3,070
53. 1885-S: 3,004
54. 1879-O: 2,994
55. 1887-O: 2,844
56. 1902: 2,761
57. 1889-S: 2,579
57. 1878 7/0ther TF: 2,574
58. 1892-O 2,377
59. 1890-CC: 2,367
60. 1891-S: 2,357
61. 1880-O: 2,241
62. 1900-O/CC: 2,239
63. 1887-S: 2,232
64. 1891: 2,119
65. 1892-CC: 2,024
66. 1888-S: 1,777
67. 1904: 1,762
68. 1889-O: 1,761
69. 1891-O: 1,741
70. 1886-S: 1,682
71. 1902-S: 1,590
72. 1878 7 TF. Rev. of 79: 1,554
73. 1892: 1,459
74. 1899-S: 1,385
75. 1898-S: 1,357
76. 1879-S Second Rev. (Rev. of '78): 1,257
77. 1893: 1,250
78. 1901-S: 1,109
79. 1894-S: 1,030
80. 1893-CC: 1,025
81. 1883-S: 1,017
82. 1880-CC Rev. of '78: 859
83. 1879-CC: 847
84. 1886-O: 800
85. 1896-S: 626
86. 1904-S: 569
87. 1897-O: 523