In example, even a G4 1893-S Morgan will trade for around $2,000 due to the low mintage and popularity of this date and mint, but the value of a 1881-S in G4 is determined more by the value of silver because of it’s high mintage and availability. My advice to collectors when investing in Morgan Dollars is to look for dates and mints that jump in value in the next grade. In example, an 1884-S trades for $55 in EF40, but jumps to $330 in AU50 (as of January 2010). The reason is that the EF40 date is being purchased more on a regular basis then the AU50, and the EF40 grade will more than likely increase. The same can be said for an AU50 verses and AU58 when it comes to grade price jumps.

The main trick to buying Morgan Dollars is to learn how to grade them first, and only buy them from dealers you trust and know, or examine the coins in hand, so one doesn’t buy scratched, cleaned, or dipped coins (this decreases the value of any coin).  Also, look our for altered mint marks, dates and counterfeit examples, there numerous, especially online auctions like ebay, but with some experience and knowledge, collectors can learn what to look for.

At CoinHELP! we offer a Morgan Dollar mintage and price guide, a counterfiet guide and a photograde guide to help collectors, but that’s not all, if you find yourself still in doubt about a purchase or a purchase you would like to make, we offer a message board where coin collectors can post as many questions as they desire. We have many knowledgeable collectors that are eager to aide collectors in coin collecting. Below is a list of links to help you not get scammed or make a bad deal.

Morgan Dollar values and mintages

Detecting Counterfeit Morgan Dollars

Photograding Morgan Dollars

Also, we offer the same guides for all U.S. Coins here U.S. Coins

One other service we offer is a third party grading service guide because many online auction venues offer over graded coins, are placed in plastic holders, to fool collectors into thinking they are purchasing high grade coins from a legitimate and professional coin grading service. TPGS Guide

We also host weekly contest where members can win coins. It cost nothing to join or enter. The coin at the left is this weeks prize, and this contest ends Saturday.

Click here to enter

We have the best pictures on ebay, and we ship fast! So check out our auctions here coinauctionshelp

Any coin collector who searches for coins at ebay have noticed the copious amount of “unsearched” roll auctions. Lincoln Cent rolls make up the bulk of these auctions, and that stands to reason, because of the high mintages of Lincoln Cents and the ease of obtaining cent rolls for little premium.

However, some Lincoln Cents have low mintages and demand a decent premium, so do many mint errors and varieties of this most popular cent. A couple more facts that make unsearched rolls more appealing, is that Indian Cents and sometimes Flying Eagle Cents are found in bank rolls of Wheaties bought in collections. It’s these facts that are misrepresented to lure potential buyers into paying more for rolls of cents.

It’s no wonder, how popular unsearched cent rolls can be with only a face value of 50 cents. It’s also no wonder so many sellers on ebay sell unsearched rolls, but that’s where the problem begins.

Unsearched roll sellers know how to use the cent’s reverse, or key date cents, or Indian, or Flying Eagle Cents to their advantage and to entice would be buyers to bid.  I know some of you might have seen a roll of unsearched pennies with the reverse showing the V.D.B. designer’s initials. Only two Lincoln Cents have the V.D.B. on the reverse, the 1909 V.D.B. and the rarest Wheat date, the 1909-S V.D.B. Both of these dates and mints demand a premium, and if the reverse of a 1909 V.D.B. cent is showing on the end of the roll, it begs the question “Is is a 1909-S V.D.B. rare key date?”. But the odds are against that being the case and this fact is purposely over looked by some sellers who host unsearched roll auctions.

The seller knows this fact, and they sell this roll with the question, “Is it the 1909-S V.D.B.?”.  I know this Wheat date sales for several hundred dollars, and I doubt the seller would allow such a find to slip away. But I’m not going to get into the why and why not of this being the case, I want to look at some other facts to consider. You, the coin collector, must use your own good judgment and common sense when buying unsearched rolls.

As I stated before, anyone can buy thousands of wheat cents for a small premium, and old paper cent rollers can also be purchased, along with a few semi-key dates or even a complete collection of Lincoln Cents, for a small investment. If such a person where to make these purchases and roll these rolls, placing the best dates on the ends, then it can be realized just how easy it would be to create shotgun rolls that appear to have rare dates with the possibility of more inside.

This act also can be accomplished using a few low grade Indian and Flying Eagle Cents if one can’t find or isn’t willing to purchase a complete cent collection. I know that complete cent collections demand high premiums, but scratched, cleaned and very low grade examples can be found for less. Remember, one need not purchase a 1909-S V.D.B., but 1909-S and 1909 V.D.B.’s can be used to create the impression that one might be or could be found in the rolls. The add a low grade Flying Eagle or Indian Cent, and the final value of these rolls increases above what they’re worth.

Furthermore, a tightly “self” wrapped roll of cents can also be given the steel wool treatment, where steel wool or another abrasive is used to make the roll appear older and more “rugged”; and just because a roll is tightly wrapped, doesn’t imply it was bank wrapped as many sellers want the bidders to believe. It’s amazing the lengths some sellers will go to just to sale common grade and date coins, and I’m sure I have missed something, or another will come up with another roll-type scheme in the near future.

I have watched ebay for several years, and I have seen some of the worst and most sad tricks to convince buyers to part from their hard earned money. You know, it’s not just the sellers fault, but the buyer must take some blame for being foolish, instead of educating themselves on coin collecting and a little common sense. The internet is full of helpful guides and articles, as is are website, so there’s just no excuse for coin collectors or cherry pickers to fall for these scams and schemes.

If you would like to read more about unsearched rolls visit my article How To Buy Unsearched Coin Lots, or if you have a question about an ebay auction or buying coins, let our members help you here CoinHELP! Message Board

 The Morgan Silver Dollar has become the number one silver coin collected by numismatist. The reason? It was produced in large numbers, it’s 90% silver and large, and the design is considered one of the most desirable of all US Coins.

What many collectors of Morgan Dollar might not realize is that the Morgan Head design was also proposed for dimes, quarters and half dollars, but with alternate reverses. However, none of these designs where accepted, and it begs the question. Why not?

There’s much speculation, but it all boils down to the fickle public, the mint attempting to produce coins the public would not think “ugly”, and that they would actually use the coins in transactions. Because the Morgan Dollar never say much circulation accept out West, in their casinos.

Now, people pay high premiums just to obtain Morgan Dollars, and they pay even higher premiums for the Morgan denominations that never where, and these are called patterns. To see these patters visit this link Morgan Patterns here you will see full color photos of the patterns, their values and important information about these coins.

Note: Not all of the Morgan patterns where made of silver.

“1942 Brown Plastic One Cent, Judd-2060, Pollock-4035, Low R.7 (left). The obverse features a woman’s bust right, derived from the Colombian two centavo piece. The reverse displays UNITED/STATES/MINT within a wreath. In his 1994 reference on patterns, Andrew W. Pollock, III wrote, “Although the experimental pieces produced in plastic and glass were manufactured by private firms, it is known that at least some, and possibly all, of the metallic pieces were produced within the Mint itself.” The experiments culminated in the 1943 steel cents. PCGS has certified just three examples in all grades. This is an evenly struck slate-gray example, granular as made.” HA.com

All pieces command a high premium from $4,000-$9,000. To see more pictures of these monumental patterns visit our US Pattern Picture Guides