1904-S Morgan Dollar
Guidelines for Collecting:
The 1904-S in Mint State is an excellent example of a coin that was readily available on the market in the 1950s, but which was not represented in the abundant Treasury releases of 1962-1964, and which today is considered quite rare—one of the key issues in the Morgan series. Mint State pieces are elusive and when found the strike is apt to be shallow and the luster average or poor. Some careful searching is required to find specimens with a sharp strike.
Availability in Circulated Grades:
EF and AU coins can be found with little difficulty if you desire an example, but look for one with minimal marks and some luster.
Availability in Mint State Grades:
In the past, few bags of this date were ever forthcoming from the Mint at San Francisco, though the Treasury in Washington, DC released some in the 1930s and 1940s, with a few others released in the 1950s. To our knowledge, no bags saw the light of day during the Treasury releases of the early 1960s. This is an elusive issue in MS-60 and finer grades, with a thinning population at MS-63 and higher the cause of the date’s high market value—four figures and up—for any Mint State specimen. Find a Mint State-64 piece with strong design details and frosty luster and you will have an example to be proud of.
Availability in Proof:
None produced.
The example to the left was sold by Stack's Bowers Galleries in the June 2022 Showcase Auction, where it realized $26,400.
1904-S Morgan Dollar Auction Highlights
 PCGS MS-66 Sold for $26,400 View Lot 1522 |  PCGS MS-66, CAC Sold for $26,400 View Lot 6396 |  PCGS MS-66 Sold for $17,625 View Lot 2146 |
