Lot 1826
1895 Morgan Dollar. PCGS graded Proof 65 Cameo PQ. A popular key date. Proof-only. Mostly untoned and very attractive. This splendid Gem combines vibrant silvery iridescence highlighting the devices while being surrounded by pools of deep mirror reflection from the field on both sides. Of all Morgan Silver Dollar dates including the major varieties, the 1895 has by far the lowest mintage. Just 880 Proofs were struck, plus, it seems, no circulation strikes at all. For many years a circulation-strike mintage figure of 12,000 was bandied about in print, but Henry T. Hettger and numismatic author Q. David Bowers effectively put the kibosh on that idea a few years back, based upon Hettger's research in the National Archives. Indeed, although the information was lost to a later generation of numismatists, they were able to find scattered references soon after the 1895 was minted that only Proofs were struck.
Today it may be that 600 to 700 Proofs survive from the original mintage. Most are lower grades, however, and a fair percentage of them have been dipped to make them appear "brilliant." The present coin, while it has a few trivial hairlines, is a solid Gem, almost pristine in its overall appearance; breathtaking, beautiful and, indeed, one of the finest Proof 65 specimens we have ever offered. The eye appeal as offered here is finer than on some "ordinary" Proof 66s we've seen. However, it is your money that backs up your bid, so examine it and decide for yourself. Pop 10; 7 finer (PCGS # 87330) .
Estimated Value $50,000 - 55,000.
The Cypress Estate.
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| Realized $71,875 |
