Q. David Bowers
In November 1943, San Francisco Mint Morgan dollars were still plentiful on the market. In an effort to stimulate lagging sales, the Franklin Coin Mart offered them at prices cheaper than charged a year earlier.
1878-S Unc, $2.00.
1879-S Unc. $1.65.
1880-S Unc, $1.65.
1881-S Unc. $1.65.
1886-S Unc, $1.65.
1887-S Unc. $2.00.
1888-S Unc. $2.00.
1889-S Unc. $2.50.
1890-S Unc. $1.65.
1891-S Unc, $2.50.
1891-S Unc, $1.65.
1897-S Unc. $1.65.
1900-S Unc. $2.50.
1921-S Unc. $1.65.
In the December 1943 issue of The Numismatist, dealer Carroll R. Harris of Seattle offered Uncircu-lated San Francisco Mint Morgan dollars in rolls and singly as follows. At the time there were few takers for rolls. While investment in silver dollars was not unheard of, most numismatists who squirreled away rolls opted to get more rolls for their money by buying lower denominations, particularly current cents and nickels. Rolls:
1879-S Unc, $26.00 per roll.
1882-S Unc. $26.00 per roll.
1886-S Unc. $28.00 per roll.
1888-S Unc. $28.00 per roll.
1889-S Unc. $30.00 per roll.
1890-S Unc. $26.00 per roll. Singles:
1878-S Unc. $2.00.
1879-S Unc. $1.65.
1880-S Unc. $1.65.
1881-S Unc. $1.65.
1882-S Unc. $1.65.
1882-S Unc. $2.00.
1886-S Unc. $2.00.
1887-S Unc. $2.00.
1888-S Unc. $2.00.
1889-S Unc. $2.00.
1890-S Unc, $1.65.
1891-S Unc. $1.65.
1894-S Unc, $5.00.
1897-S Unc, $1.65.
1900-S Unc, $2.00.
In The Numismatist, May 1944, D.S. Morris, Dallas, Texas, offered the following Morgan dollars for sale, representing dates that were available in quantity at the time. Note that San Francisco Mint coins abound, and the common 1890 and 1891 Carson City issues are seen, but Philadelphia coins are absent. At the time, Uncirculated Philadelphia coins of the 1880s were considered to be rarer than Proofs!
1879-S Unc. $1.65.
1880-S Unc. $1.65.
1881-S Unc. $1.85.
1882-S Unc, $1.85.
1886-S Unc. $1.85.
1887-S Unc, $1.85.
1888-S Unc. $1.85.
1889-S Unc. $2.25.
1890-CC Unc, $1.85.
1891-CC Unc. $2.25.
1891-S Unc. $1.65.
1897-S Unc. $1.85.
1898-S Unc. $1.85.
1899-S Unc, $1.85.
1900-S Unc. $2.25.
1902-S Unc. $2.25.
1904 Unc. $1.85.
1904-S Unc. $1.85.
1921-D Unc. $1.65.
1921-S Unc. $1.65.
In the June 1944 issue of The Numismatist, Norman Shultz offered the following Morgan dollars for sale. In keeping with other offerings of the era, San Francisco coins are plentiful in this listing, but once again Philadelphia coins are not. This was in the time before Philadelphia Mint coins of the 1880s and 1890s were released in quantity.
Many dealers were afraid to stock quantities of silver dollars, for rare dates often plummeted in price, and they feared inventory devaluation. By hindsight, it seems that every dealer should have bought bags of S-Mint dollars for slightly over face value, and saved them, but virtually no one did. If they had, then such issues as 1883-S and 1904-S, scarce today in Mint State, would be common.
1878 Unc. $2.50.
1878-S Unc. $2.00.
1879-S Unc. $2.00.
1881-S Unc. $2.00.
1882-S Unc. $2.00.
1883-S Unc. $2.50.
1886-S Unc. $2.00.
1887-S Unc. $2.00.
1888-S Unc. $2.00.
1889-S Unc. $2.00.
1890-CC Unc. $2.50.
1890-S Unc. $2.00.
1891-CC Unc. $2.50.
1891-S Unc. $2.50.
1897-S Unc. $2.50.
1899-S Unc. $2.50.
1900-S Unc. $2.50.
1902-S Unc, $5.00.
1904 Unc. $2.00.
1904-S Unc, $2.50.
1921-D Unc. $1.50.