Morgan Variety Madness 1 1

[cobymordet]

I have this 1888-O Morgan with what I think/hope may be a "1888 O TOP-100 OVAL O $1 MS" variety.  Unfortunately, there seem to be 9 separate yet similar varieties indicating only:  "The mintmark is ovoid and has a narrow central slit."  There is no additional information or any pictures to differentiate the varieties.  I would like to know if my "O" meets the criteria and how can I determine which variety I may have.  Also, would this coin make it to VF-20?

[Sandon]

    Your coin has the usual small, roundish "O", not the oval "O".  The oval "O" seen on a minority of 1888-O Morgan dollars is apparently from the punch that was used on all 1881, 82, and 83-Os, on some 1879 and 80-Os and on most 1884-Os as well.  The small, roundish "O" was introduced at some point in 1884 and used on the vast majority of "O" mint Morgan dollars dated from 1885 through 1904. I happen to have a well-worn (Good) 1888-O "oval O", which looks like this:

[Sandon]

   Regarding the grade of your coin, it has Fine details and appears to have been polished or otherwise improperly "cleaned". To grade Very Fine per ANA grading standards, the bottom two cotton leaves must be distinct from Liberty's cap.  The hair strands should also be more distinct. The reverse on a Very Fine coin should not have the flat areas on the feathers seen on the upper left (facing) wing of yours.

[cobymordet]

Thanks for the clarification Sandon.  Would you be aware of any additional resources regarding the nine different varieties involving the "Oval O".  The "varieties" section through NGC is a great start, but some of the varieties seem lacking in detail or visual representation. 

[Coinbuf]

VAMworld is what your looking for.  

VAMworld

[cobymordet]

Thanks Coinbuf!

[EagleRJO]

I agree with Sandon that it looks like a Fine - Details grade normal 1888-O Morgan, and is not the "oval" variety.  You can check out VamWorld [http://www.vamworld.com/wiki/Home] to find out which VAM number it may be starting with the position and font of the date and mark.

Once you have identified the possible VAM number download the full coins pics if available.  You can also download another 1888-O VAM full coin pic or a PCG$ CoinFacts pic if needed, but the position of the date and mark may vary as those were hand punched into the working dies.  Then compare the details as a good step in authenticating the coin.

Note that the PCG$ F15 example attached does have the more valuable "Oval O" mint mark.  But the normal mint mark 1888-O really isn't worth much, particularly a Details grade (probably around melt value) so you may want to skip the last part, which can be a little tedious.

http://www.vamworld.com/wiki/1888-O_VAMs

NGC Price Guide for 1888-O Morgan

 

Edited May 16, 2023 by EagleRJO