caltx01 Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 Hello All! Newbie here. Cal in Tyler, Texas. I am very inexperienced with coin collecting but very much looking forward to learning all I can - and avoiding the pitfalls - as I begin to build a coin collection. I am happy to find this forum and anxious to take advantage of the collective knowledge and experience of the members here. My first question - can anyone provide any advice as to the strange mint mark on this 1884 Morgan dollar? Thanks in advance for all guidance and advice! GoldFinger1969 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post JKK Posted February 20, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 20, 2021 That's weird-looking, all right, but I can't see any way it can be anything but an O--perhaps a filled one. Doesn't look deliberately altered; the ding across it looks like a circulation nick. Nice-looking piece and good photo, by the way. This might be one of those cases where a blowup of the MM might help. GoldFinger1969, dollarfan and caltx01 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Just Bob Posted February 20, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 20, 2021 I did a quick search of Vamworld and Variety Vista, and did not find anything that matches, so I don't think it is a known variety. I think Jonathan is probably right - filled "O" mint mark. Would you mind showing a picture of the obverse side? Welcome to the forum, by the way. dollarfan, GoldFinger1969 and caltx01 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollarfan Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 wow, i agree with JKK that is very odd. please post a closeup of the mintmark and also the obverse as we would like a closer look. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caltx01 Posted February 20, 2021 Author Share Posted February 20, 2021 Thanks for the replies! Here is a picture of the obverse of this coin and a close to the mint mark as I can get with this camera. I will get a better close-up of the mint mark posted tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWB Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 (edited) Looks like a weakly struck coin with a filled mintmark. The diagonal line is damage to the coin. Poorly defined Morgan dollars from the New Orleans Mint were common for them. The Mint did not have sufficient planchet annealing (softening) capacity to meet production demand from Washington HQ. Hence, many planchets were too hard to take a full impression under normal operating conditions. Edited February 20, 2021 by RWB GoldFinger1969 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caltx01 Posted February 20, 2021 Author Share Posted February 20, 2021 2 hours ago, RWB said: Looks like a weakly struck coin with a filled mintmark. The diagonal line is damage to the coin. Poorly defined Morgan dollars from the New Orleans Mint were common for them. The Mint did not have sufficient planchet annealing (softening) capacity to meet production demand from Washington HQ. Hence, many planchets were too hard to take a full impression under normal operating conditions. Thank you for the reply and the very interesting information which could very possibly explain this anomaly. So this anomaly may well be the random result of a weak strike rather than die damage which I assume would produce many coins with the same defect? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWB Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 Yes. A poor strike, filled mintmark and external damage. There might be many coins with a filled mintmark and/or weak detail as yours, but only one will have the diagonal mark. In that sense, your coin is unique...and in the same sense, every coin is unique, too. caltx01 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldFinger1969 Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 (edited) Do we know of any other "filled" mintmarks from New Orleans ?? Almost looks like a screw head. BTW, is that Morgan in a GSA holder ? I see black on the edges surrounding it. Edited February 20, 2021 by GoldFinger1969 Fenntucky Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenntucky Mike Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 28 minutes ago, GoldFinger1969 said: BTW, is that Morgan in a GSA holder ? I see black on the edges surrounding it. Good ? GF, I was wondering the same thing. I don't think so, there is a globe symbol in the upper right corner of the image in the OP. I've seen that symbol before, I think it's in one of those slab snap holders and the core doesn't look like a GSA Hard Pack either, I don't remember a ring around the coin like that. I haven't seen very many hard packs though, could be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caltx01 Posted February 20, 2021 Author Share Posted February 20, 2021 56 minutes ago, GoldFinger1969 said: BTW, is that Morgan in a GSA holder ? I see black on the edges surrounding it. The coin is in a plastic holder but it is not a GSA holder to my knowledge. I am hoping these holders are safe. See picture below. Fenntucky Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWB Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 Is it one of the Coin World holders? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l.cutler Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 (edited) That is a Coin World holder, they are fine. Simultaneous posting! Edited February 20, 2021 by l.cutler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caltx01 Posted February 20, 2021 Author Share Posted February 20, 2021 7 minutes ago, l.cutler said: That is a Coin World holder, they are fine. Simultaneous posting! Thanks! I am relieved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Bob Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 31 minutes ago, l.cutler said: That is a Coin World holder, they are fine. Simultaneous posting! Yep. $3.89 apiece at Wizard Coin Supply. (Plus shipping) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWB Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 Search "ultrasonic welding" to buy your own machine to seal the slab. A good weld in a dust-free nitrogen atmosphere and your coins will be happy for a very long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
