Q. David Bowers
Business Strikes:
Enabling legislation: Act of February 28, 1878, plus 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: $0.50587
Dies prepared: Obverse: 5; Reverse: 5
Estimated quantity melted: Well over 100,000.
Business strike mintage: 450,000; Delivery figures
by month: January: 200,000; February: 100,000; March: none; April: 100,000; May: 50,000; June-December: none.
Approximate population MS-65 or better: 8 to 15 (URS4)
Approximate population MS-64: 30 to 50 (URS-6)
Approximate population MS-63: 70 to 110 (URS-8)
Approximate population MS-60 to 62: 125 to 250 (URS-9)
Approximate population G-4 to AU-58: 30,000 to 60,000 (URS-16)
Availability of prooflike coins: Prooflike coins are very rare, and DMPL coins are even more so. Nearly all are in lower grades.
Characteristics of striking: Mostly are weakly struck at centers and have unattractive surfaces.
Known hoards of Mint State coins: None. Apparently, no significant quantities were released by the Treasury in the 1950s or 1960s.
Proofs:
None
Commentary
In Mint State the 1895-O dollar is very rare. When found, specimens are usually poorly struck with unattractive surfaces.