1886 $1 MS DMPL

Key to Collecting: Dollars of 1886 are very common, but often dies were used like the Energizer Bunny—they just kept going and going, and going some more. As a result, more than a few surviving Mint States coins are grainy and show metal flow lines. Cherrypicking is recommended. Worn 1886 dollars are common, and without doubt huge numbers of them went into refinery furnaces during the run-up of silver bullion prices in the 1980’s, as few numismatists wanted them.

Surface Quality: The strike varies, but most are fairly sharp. As a rule of thumb the luster on the 1886 is rather dull, often grainy, as dies seem to have been used for a long time. Cherry picking is needed to find one with deep mint frost.

Prooflike Coins: Prooflike coins are occasionally seen, usually with low contrast. DMPL coins with cameo contrast are very elusive.

Mintage and Distribution: Delivery figures by month: January, 1,700,000; February, 1,700,000; March, 1,700,000; April, 1,700,000; May, 1,700,000; June, 1,563,000; July, 1,600,000; August, 1,800,000; September, 1,900,000; October, 1,800,000; November, 1,400,000; December, 1,400,000. Dollars dated 1886 were paid out over a long period of years and therefore have been common in numismatic circles. Large quantities of bags were distributed in 1951 and 1952, and, probably, several thousand bags in 1954—after which time they were super-common. The remaining bags left Treasury vaults during the 1962 through 1964 release.

Mintage: 886. Delivery figures by month: January–February, 0; March, 360; April– May, 0; June, 165; July–August, 0; September, 100; October–November, 0; December, 261. Two obverse die varieties are known, one with 1 (1886) repunched, the other showing traces of repunching of 18 and 6; the last variety has just 179 edge reeds, instead of the usual 188 to 190.

Key to Collecting: Strike is usually decent. Contrast medium to low. Nice 1886 Proof dollars exist, but they are harder to find than certain other dates mentioned thus far.

There are no dramatic die varieties known from the 63 obverse and 60 reverse dies made for the coinage, though some doubled dates may be of interest.