1879 $1 MS DMPL

Key to Collecting: The 1879 dollar is very plentiful in all grades, as you might expect from the mintage figure. Mint State coins abound, but the quality of strike and luster can vary widely.

Surface Quality: Most examples are fairly well struck. Many have lightness of center details particularly noticeable above the ear of Liberty, this being typical for nearly all of the series from this point forward. The extra metal needed to flow into the rounded breast of the eagle on the Reverse of 1879 dies took away from metal available to fill the high points on the obverse, resulting in some loss of detail. Usually seen lustrous, sometimes grainy if a particular die has been used for a long period of time.

Prooflike Coins: Prooflike coins exist, including some with high contrast. Many are onesided prooflikes. Prooflike coins are scarce in comparison to frosty, lustrous examples.

Mintage and Distribution: Although dollars of this date have been plentiful from day one, indicating release near the time of coinage, many bags remained in storage. In Mint State supplies were plentiful in the 1950’s and 1960’s, often trading in quantity. However, few remained by the time of the Treasury releases of 1962 through 1964.

Mintage: Mint record, 1,100. Breen comment: “250 coined in first quarter, 500 in second, total 750; of these 100 were melted in January 1880, leaving 650 net mintage.”9 I find the 650 figure to be unlikely in view that in proportion to the survival of other dates, there are too many certified coins; 1,100 or close to it seems to be more correct.

Key to Collecting: Most are of low contrast. Striking quality is average. Although the mintage is high, the challenge for quality is high as well.

Made for the coinage were 129 obverse dies and 86 reverse dies, although it is not known if all were used. In any event, reverse dies could be held over for use in a future year. There are many minor die variations, but none significant.