Q. David Bowers
Business Strikes:
Enabling legislation: As earlier, plus Act of February 28, 1878 and the Sherman Silver Purchase Act of July 14, 1890
Designer: George T. Morgan
Weight and composition: 412.5 grains; .900 silver, .100 copper
Melt-down (silver value) in year minted: $0.80927
Dies prepared: Obverse: 29 or more; Reverse: 46. Business strike mintage: 8,230,373 (5,732,373 under the Act of February 28, 1878 and 2,498,000 under the Sherman Silver Purchase Act); Delivery figures by month: January: 500,000; February: 600,000; March: 600,000; April: 600,000; May: 800,000; June: 800,000; July: 800,000; August.' 460,000 + 300,000; September: 100,000 + 600,000; October: 7S,000 + S8S,000; November: 397,373 + 270,000; December: 743,000.
Estimated quantity melted: Many under the 1918 Pittman Act.
Approximate population MS-65 or better: 2,000 to 3,000 (URS-13)
Approximate population MS-64: 10,000 to 18,000 (URS-15)
Approximate population MS-63: 15,000 to 25,000 (URS-15)
Approximate population MS-60 to 62: 45,000 to 80,000 (URS-17)
Approximate population G-4 to AU-58: 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 (URS-22)
Availability of prooflike coins: Very plentiful. The population is about 3,000-6,000 (URS-13). However, only about 5% of DMPL coins are MS-65 or finer.
Characteristics of striking: Varies, but most are sharply struck and have excellent lustre.
Known hoards of Mint State coins: Many bags of 1,000 coins were released by the Treasury, espe-cially in the 1940s and 1950s.
Proofs:
None
Commentary
The 1890-S in Mint State is readily available sharply struck and with nice lustre.
Silver Dollar Distribution
The Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, 1890, gave the following information concerning distribution of silver dollars in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890 in the San Francisco Mint: July 1, 1889,25,128,000, coined during the fiscal year 108,000, total available for distribution 29,728,000. In the San Francisco Mint June 30,1890,28,987,782, distributed 740,218.
Storing Silver Dollars in San Francisco
The Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, 1890, noted the following:
"Under plans prepared by the Supervising Architect of the Treasury and proposals submitted, a contract was made February 24, 1890, for the construction in the mint building at San Francisco, of two vaults, each 29 feet 4 inches long, 11 feet 10-7/8 inches high, 17 feet 9 inches wide, the cubic contents of each being 6,161 cubic feet.
"One of the vaults is now being placed in the building. The other cannot be placed until the first is completed. The capacity of each of these vaults for the storage of silver dollars is: In boxes ($1,000 each) $17 million. In bags ($1,000 each) $25 million.
"These vaults are to be lined with three layers of 3/8-inch steel, 5-ply welded steel and iron, and Bessemer ductile steel and furnished with outer and inner doors. The outer door is to be single, made of Ij2-inch thick welded steel and iron and Bessemer ductile steel, fitted with bolts made of 7-ply welded chrome steel and iron. The inner door is folding, made of four layers of same material as above, all hardened drill, saw, and me proof. Both inner and outer doors are to be fitted with four-tumbler combination locks. Cost of the two vaults $23,936.00. Cost of inspection $1,260.00. Total $25,196.00."