1882 (O) Morgan Dollar - O/S

Coin Details

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Description

This is the O/S over mint mark on the 1882-O Morgan Dollar, where a O was punched over an existing S. Dies were prepared with a mint mark before they were sent out, and when demand shifted a die already marked for San Francisco could be reassigned to New Orleans. Rather than scrap it, the receiving mint punched its own letter over the one already there. Traces of the S survive wherever its shape falls outside the O that covers it, so the diagnostic is the geometry of the two letters rather than doubling as such. Unlike a repunched mint mark, which shows one letter struck twice, an over mint mark shows two different letterforms occupying the same place. Any mintage or rarity ranking given below counts the entire issue for this date and mint, not this variety: a variety comes from one die or a few, and how many coins they struck was never separately recorded. The 1882 (O) Morgan Dollar - O/S represents a New Orleans Mint issue from the Morgan Dollars 1878-1921 series. The 1882-O Morgan Dollar issue as a whole had a mintage of 6.1 million; how many coins carry this variety is unknown. The obverse features Liberty facing left wearing a Phrygian cap adorned with wheat and cotton, encircled by stars and the reverse displays an eagle with outstretched wings clutching an olive branch and arrows, surrounded by a wreath. Struck during the Gilded Age of rapid industrialization and the great silver debates, when monetary policy shaped elections and economic destiny. Coined at the New Orleans Mint, which served the nation's southern economy from 1838 to 1909 and produced coins prized for their regional character. Struck in 90% silver, 10% copper, weighing 26.73 grams, 38.1 mm in diameter, with a reeded edge. Cataloged as PCGS #7138.