Coins My Dad Gave Me

[Car-Guy]

Ah yes, the 1921 Morgan. It was the first year since 1904 that they minted Morgan silver dollars. It was also the last year for Morgans too... They started minting Peace Dollars in 1921 too. Another interesting factoid, the 1921 dollars were all minted from older melted down silver dollars. They melted down over 250 million older dollars between 1918 and 1921. So your 1921 Morgan dollar has silver from lots of older dollars that were melted down.

 

[street]

Ah yes, the 1921 Morgan, It was the first year since 1904 that they minted Morgan silver dollars. It was also the last year for Morgans too... They started minting Peace Dollars in 1921 too. Another interesting factoid, the 1921 dollars were all minted from older melted down silver dollars. They melted down over 250 million older dollars in 1921. So your 1921 Morgan dollar has silver from lots of older dollars that were melted down.

Interesting Car-Guy!!!! Thanks

 

[Car-Guy]

Oh, and while I'm thinking about it, the 1889-CC Morgan you have, it was minted from silver from the Comstock Lode. Actually, that's why the Carson City mint was built. It was easier to mint the coins near where the silver was being mined rather than hauling it back to Philadelphia to mint coins.

 

[DrRoy]

In the 2000's decade I had a serious bug for coin collecting and built up a pretty nice US type set, within what I could afford. The crown jewel is a 1795 flowing hair half F obverse VG reverse.

I concur with Car-Guy on the grade of your 1889 Morgan, and that it sure looks like it was dipped/chemically cleaned.

I have all of the Lincoln cents except the 1909 S VDB. Just didn't seem worth the cost to get one.

When I was after one of the types of Seated Dollar, I couldn't find what I wanted at a reasonable price. At some point on Ebay, I saw one offered along with 3 Morgans as a group. I made what I thought was a lowish bid for the set and won. Then, I sold off the Morgans separately and made back what I had spent, so I ended up with the 1871 seated dollar for free!

 

[Car-Guy]

I have all of the Lincoln cents except the 1909 S VDB. Just didn't seem worth the cost to get one.

I get that too. I "had" a complete set of Lincoln Cents at one time too. They were raw (not certified) and graded out VG to XF pre 1960 and MS after 1960. I sold the entire set to a coin dealer and I remember we laughed at the fact that the 1909-S vdb by itself was worth more that the rest of the entire set. Still it was fun hunting down and accumulating the set.

This thread made me go look in the safe and see what I still have. I still have a complete set of raw Peace Dollars, Ben Franklin halfs, the 200 coin set of Statehood quarters and a bunch of odds and ends. Most folks think a complete set of statehood quarters is 100 quarters, but NO, it's really 200 when you include silver clads and silver proofs from the San Francisco mint.

 

[street]

Oh, and while I'm thinking about it, the 1889-CC Morgan you have, it was minted from silver from the Comstock Lode. Actually, that's why the Carson City mint was built. It was easier to mint the coins near where the silver was being mined rather than hauling it back to Philadelphia to mint coins.

Nice, trivia and history are an interesting part of our past. Thank You very much. Outstanding knowledge!!

 

[DrRoy]

This thread made me go look in the safe and see what I still have. I still have a complete set of raw Peace Dollars, Ben Franklin halfs, the 200 coin set of Statehood quarters and a bunch of odds and ends. Most folks think a complete set of statehood quarters is 100 quarters, but NO, it's really 200 when you include silver clads and silver proofs from the San Francisco mint.

Oh yes, I have all the state quarters (in proof too) and the park quarters. I have some gold coins that I acquired when spot price was under $1000/oz, a few circulating and a few bullion/commemorative.

 

[Ronstar]

This is my favorite. An 1853 Penney that my Grandfather gave to me about 60 years ago. Sits in my bookcase.

 

[AudiDudi]

This is my favorite. An 1853 Penney that my Grandfather gave to me about 60 years ago. Sits in my bookcase.


View attachment 53426

Nice!! I have an 1858 flying eagle cent my grandfather gave me.

 

[street]

This is my favorite. An 1853 Penney that my Grandfather gave to me about 60 years ago. Sits in my bookcase.


View attachment 53426

That is awesome!!! Means more from who you got it from than if it were worth Thousands.
That wood case I wonder who made that beautiful piece??

Thanks for sharing this, Ronstar.

 

[MichaelB]

I have about a dozen Morgan silver dollars, some in very good condition. Half are from the GSA CC batch in the original casing. They are uncirculated but still a bit scratched. I wonder how that is graded.

i doubt I’ll sell. More likely one of the grandchildren will get them.

 

[Car-Guy]

I have about a dozen Morgan silver dollars, some in very good condition. Half are from the GSA CC batch in the original casing. They are uncirculated but still a bit scratched. I wonder how that is graded.

i doubt I’ll sell. More likely one of the grandchildren will get them.

My "guess" is they are 82, 83 and 84 CC's... If you'll post pictures of the front and back (or PM me), I'll give a shot at grading them. Any or all of them.

Guessing the grade is actually a common "activity/game" on one of the coin sites I frequent. I'm pretty good on Morgans, but other coins, not so much.

Most uncirculated GSA's will grade out at MS 61 to 64. They may be uncirculated but still scratched up. Why? Because they sat in sealed mint bags (1000 per bag) in the Federal Reserve banks vaults for decades and were tossed around like sacks of potatoes every time they inventoried them.

 

[SecondCor521]

These are my family's. I thought they were all Morgans, and realized today that the last one is actually a Peace dollar.

Opinions on grade/value? From my notes, I think they're all basically just worth melt but would love to know if I'm wrong (or even potentially wrong).

That's the hard part for me about all this. My family has some other coins as well, and from what I can tell they're all merely mildly unusual. I google and read all about the "well, if your 1924 Peace dollar's eagle is missing a feather, it's worth $100K" (*) and I really doubt I would be lucky enough to have such a coin, and am almost willing to assume I don't. I don't trust the local coin dealers to be honest with me if I did have such a coin. I don't want to spend the time to learn about all the different values and grades to figure it out myself. I think we'll eventually end up taking them to the local coin shop and hope for a fair price.

(*) Made up example. You know what I mean.

 

[Jerry1]

Just out of curiosity, I looked at our coins recently obtained as an inheritance from DW's side. A lot of Peace coins but four older ones.
1880 S
1900 O
1921 D
1921 no mint mark

Was hoping for a CC just for fun. They're all in very warn state but interesting is that the 1880 is in pretty good shape compared to the other four.

 

[street]

I have about a dozen Morgan silver dollars, some in very good condition. Half are from the GSA CC batch in the original casing. They are uncirculated but still a bit scratched. I wonder how that is graded.

i doubt I’ll sell. More likely one of the grandchildren will get them.

MichealB, you might have doubled your net worth!!

 

[street]

Just out of curiosity, I looked at our coins recently obtained as an inheritance from DW's side. A lot of Peace coins but four older ones.
1880 S
1900 O
1921 D
1921 no mint mark

Was hoping for a CC just for fun. They're all in very warn state but interesting is that the 1880 is in pretty good shape compared to the other four.

That 1880 S was owned by a frugal person and passed their genes down for the next millionaires of the world. Lol A saver maybe between the mattress for years.

That 1921 with no mint mark is minted in Philidelphia, I believe. If no mint letters I believe all from Philadelphia "P".

 

[Car-Guy]

These are my family's. I thought they were all Morgans, and realized today that the last one is actually a Peace dollar.

Opinions on grade/value? From my notes, I think they're all basically just worth melt but would love to know if I'm wrong (or even potentially wrong).

That's the hard part for me about all this. My family has some other coins as well, and from what I can tell they're all merely mildly unusual. I google and read all about the "well, if your 1924 Peace dollar's eagle is missing a feather, it's worth $100K" (*) and I really doubt I would be lucky enough to have such a coin, and am almost willing to assume I don't. I don't trust the local coin dealers to be honest with me if I did have such a coin. I don't want to spend the time to learn about all the different values and grades to figure it out myself. I think we'll eventually end up taking them to the local coin shop and hope for a fair price.

(*) Made up example. You know what I mean.

Here's my WAG's at the grades. None have much value over melt.

79s - F
79p - XF
21d - VF (First one)
21s - F
21d - AU (Second one)
24p - VF Peace Dollar

 

[Car-Guy]

For those that are interested, here is the grading scale.

#	Grade (Common Abv's)
1	Basal State-1 (P)
2	Fair (P)
3	Very Fair (P)
4, 5, 6	Good (G)
7, 8, 10	Very Good (VG)
12, 15	Fine (F)
20, 30	Very Fine (VF)
40	Extremely Fine (XF)
50	About Uncirculated (AU)
60	Mint State (MS)
65	Mint State (MS)
70	Mint State (MS)

Another interesting fact, common circulated silver coins are not pure silver. They are usually 90% silver so the the melt value is a little less than the coins weight. There are a few exceptions, "like" Silver Eagles. They are 100% Silver.

 

[folivier]

Hmmm, DW used to save silver coins when she worked as a teller many years ago. Anything with silver. She has a sack of them in our safe. Guess one day I'll have to go through them. Just haven't been that bored yet.

 

[MichaelB]

My "guess" is they are 82, 83 and 84 CC's... If you'll post pictures of the front and back (or PM me), I'll give a shot at grading them. Any or all of them.

Thanks! I’ll take you up on that offer, but it’ll take a couple of days. The coins are in the bank box.

Guessing the grade is actually a common "activity/game" on one of the coin sites I frequent. I'm pretty good on Morgans, but other coins, not so much.

Most uncirculated GSA's will grade out at MS 61 to 64. They may be uncirculated but still scratched up. Why? Because they sat in sealed mint bags (1000 per bag) in the Federal Reserve banks vaults for decades and were tossed around like sacks of potatoes every time they inventoried them.
View attachment 53428

I think that story about finding bags of these coins forgotten in a vault is the best ever.

 

[MichaelB]

MichealB, you might have doubled your net worth!!

Thanks, but I don’t think they are worth that much. One can dream, eh?

I’m hoping to see if any of my grandchildren are interested. One is visiting over the holidays (flying in as I write this) and has shown lots of interest in history. I’m going to empty the safe deposit box and let him look over everything.

 

[street]

Thanks, but I don’t think they are worth that much. One can dream, eh?

I’m hoping to see if any of my grandchildren are interested. One is visiting over the holidays (flying in as I write this) and has shown lots of interest in history. I’m going to empty th safe deposit box and let him look over everything.

Yes, that is how I will deal with some of the earthly things I have also. I don't need to cash them in it would have no purpose for doing that.

If you double your net worth with those coins let us know!! Lol

 

[Car-Guy]

Thanks! I’ll take you up on that offer, but it’ll take a couple of days. The coins are in the bank box.

I think that story about finding bags of these coins forgotten in a vault is the best ever.

Happy to give you my opinion on the grades anytime...

Speaking of stories of hoards of Silver Dollars, here are two of my favorites. I actually have one from the Binion hoard.

Binion Hoard - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Redfield Hoard - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[street]

Happy to give you my opinion on the grades anytime...

Speaking of stories of hoards of Silver Dollars, here are two of my favorites. I actually have one from the Binion hoard.

Binion Hoard - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Redfield Hoard - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Benny Binion had a Montana Ranch I have been through hundreds of times through the years. A lot of stories from that ranch and history what took place when he owned it.
I know some old timers that got to know him a little when he came to Montana to hid out. Very Interesting to say the least.
The 90 square mile ranch, known as the Ganster Cowboy Ranch, Benny Binion.
So, not sure you want to share that info but what year and mint did you get from Benny's collection??

 

[Car-Guy]

Benny Binion had a Montana Ranch I have been through hundreds of times through the years. A lot of stories from that ranch and history what took place when he owned it.
I know some old timers that got to know him a little when he came to Montana to hid out. Very Interesting to say the least.
The 90 square mile ranch, known as the Ganster Cowboy Ranch, Benny Binion.
So, not sure you want to share that info but what year and mint did you get from Benny's collection??

Don't mind at all. Took this "very poor" picture yesterday when I had the stuff out of the safe. The scuff marks don't show up at all when looking at it in person but I'm to lazy to take more pictures to get it right. . I still see them at coin shows every so often. Price is usually about $100 these days for the more common dates/mm.