1895 Morgan Silver Dollar. Proof. Fine Details--Improperly Cleaned (NGC).Toned rather nicely in bold charcoal and pewter gray, this 1895 dollar is very nice relative to the stated qualifier. All devices are fully outlined to allow ready appreciation of this classic design. Wispy hairlines and light marks are scattered about, the latter from an appreciable amount of time spent in active circulation. With 880 Proofs struck and no circulation strikes produced, the 1895 is the rarest date and mint combination in the popular and widely collected Morgan dollar series of 1878 to 1921. Even if 700 coins are extant (the estimate provided by Q. David Bowers, 1993), the Proof 1895 would easily rank as the most elusive Philadelphia Mint issue of this type. At least a few dozen circulated specimens are known, as here; these pieces were either deliberately spent by earlier generations of collectors or accidentally found their way into commercial channels. Given the strong following that this series has long enjoyed among numismatists, we anticipate that this more affordable example of the key date Proof 1895 will have little difficulty finding its way into a specialized collection.
