1903-S Morgan Silver Dollar. MS-65 (PCGS). Delightful premium Gem quality surfaces are highly lustrous with an intense satin to softly frosted finish. Minimally toned in iridescent golden-gray, most viewing angles reveal a virtually brilliant coin. The strike is razor sharp from the rims to the centers, and the eye appeal is expectably strong for the assigned grade. Simply put, the 1903-S is one of the rarest Morgan silver dollars in Mint State. A mintage of 1,241,000 coins is partly to blame for this, but the real culprit is the distribution, or rather lack thereof, of this issue. With well worn survivors in grades such as Good and VG relatively obtainable, it seems likely that a fair number of 1903-S dollars entered circulation shortly after striking. Later releases of Mint State coins were few and far between, which suggests that much of the mintage succumbed to melting pursuant to the 1918 Pittman Act. The present Gem ranks among the finer certified examples, and its offering in this sale represents a significant bidding opportunity for quality conscious Morgan dollar collectors. From the Abigail Collection. From the Abigail Collection.
