1879-CC $1 Morgan Silver Dollar NGC MS64+

1879-CC Morgan Silver Dollar. Clear CC. MS-64+ (NGC)

Plus (+) designation for amazing eye appeal and bold mint strike.

PCGS Collectors Universe Price Guide $16,500.00

A beautiful, fully original coin that will particularly excite collectors who appreciate richly toned silver. The obverse exhibits a halo of powder blue peripheral iridescence around a soft silver-olive and pinkish-gray center. The reverse is even more vivid with a target-like distribution to red, gold and blue undertones that are overlaid in warm olive-gray. The surfaces are intensely lustrous and satiny throughout, the design elements sharply struck apart from a touch of trivial softness to the central high points. With well above average preservation, this is a condition rarity near-Gem Mint State coin that will appeal to advanced Morgan dollar and Carson City Mint enthusiasts.

After a promising start with 2,212,000 coins struck in 1878, Morgan dollar production at the Carson City Mint fell off markedly in 1879, when only 756,000 pieces were produced. Mintages would continue to fall through 1881. Despite its proximity to Nevada's rich silver mines, the Carson City Mint was forced to play second fiddle as much of the bullion mined was sent instead to the more distant San Francisco Mint for coinage. There was so little bullion on hand at the Carson City Mint throughout 1879, in fact, that the presses were still for much of the year. In our August 2013 sale of the Battle Born Collection, Rusty Goe reported that Superintendent Crawford received orders from his superiors in Washington, D.C. to cease coinage operations in April and lay off workers. The presses in Carson City remained idle until August, after which only 210,000 additional silver dollars were struck before the end of 1879, which when added to the 546,000 coins struck earlier amounted to just 756,000 coins for the year.