1891-CC $1 MS PL

Key to Collecting: The 1891-CC is a “must have” coin because it is from Carson City and is usually available in Uncirculated grade. However, although the mintage figure is generous for a CC dollar, today the coin is not in the “common” class. Still, enough are around, especially MS-63 and MS-64, that you can find a choice one. Virtually all are lustrous and have superb eye appeal, but not all are sharply struck. Do some looking around before you write a check.

Surface Quality: The striking varies from poor to sharp, but is usually average or finer. Cherrypicking is advised, but in this case it will not involve a great deal of effort. The luster is typically deeply frosty and beautiful.

Prooflike Coins: Partially and fully prooflike coins exist, but usually have low contrast in relation to the design features, and, accordingly, the demand for them is not great.

Mintage and Distribution: Delivery figures by month: January, 200,000; February, 150,000; March, 190,000; April, 76,000; May, 86,000; June, 186,000; July, 120,000; August, 120,000; September, 120,000; October, 120,000; November, 120,000; December, 130,000. Many 1891-CC dollars were released into circulation in the early years, yielding a generous population of worn coins today. Bags probably were melted under the 1918 Pittman Act. Other bags were paid in the 1940’s and 1950’s, resulting in a good supply for numismatists. However, by the time of the 1962 through 1964 Treasury release, most were gone. After 1964 the General Services Administration holding of 1891-CC dollars totaled 5,687, or 0.35% of the original mintage, per a later inventory.56

Although 24 obverse dies and 23 reverse dies were sent to Carson City, only a handful of varieties have been listed by VAM. One, VAM-3, the so-called Spitting Eagle, has a die gouge at the eagle’s beak, fancifully resembling saliva. Any promoter wanting to sell one of these for a stretchy price had better hide a copy of The Top 100 Morgan Dollar Varieties from potential customers, for on page 95 it says: “Heavily promoted the VAM-3 is not only ‘not rare,’ but is actually the most common of all the 1891-CC varieties!”