1880-S $1 MS DMPL

Key to Collecting: The 1880-S is a delightful Morgan dollar, usually combining excellent strike and luster with a plentiful supply of pieces in the marketplace. Indeed, among Morgan dollars of the early (1878–1904) years, the 1880-S is second only to the 1881-S in terms of availability. The majority of Mint State pieces in existence today were released during the dispersal of the Treasury hoard from 1962 through 1964.

Surface Quality: The 1880-S is usually seen quite well struck. Only a small percentage of pieces have weak striking and these can be easily enough avoided by the discriminating buyer. As is true of other Morgan dollar dates, certification services do not take striking into consideration. Most 1880-S dollars have deep, frosty luster of great beauty.

Prooflike Coins: Prooflike coins are not unusual.

Mintage and Distribution: Similar to several other San Francisco Mint issues of the era, much of the mintage of the 1880-S seems to have been stored in the mint, remaining there by at least 1913. Many were paid out over time, including in the 1950’s. In The Forecaster, September 15, 1971, John Kamin estimated that about 1,600,000 more came out during the Treasury release, mostly in 1963.

The 1880-S exists in many different die varieties. VAM-8, 9, 10, and 11, are overdated from 1879, but the features are not boldly defined. However, for dedicated VAM enthusiasts these are worth seeking. For the 1880-S, S mintmark punches of two different sizes were used. These are neither widely noticed nor collected except by VAM enthusiasts. VAM-35 has a large open mintmark tilted left.