1900 (O) Morgan Dollar - O/CC

Coin Details

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Description

This is the O/CC over mint mark on the 1900-O Morgan Dollar, where a O was punched over an existing CC. Dies were prepared with a mint mark before they were sent out, and when demand shifted a die already marked for Carson City 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 CC 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. Part of the Morgan Dollars 1878-1921 series, the 1900 (O) Morgan Dollar - O/CC is a New Orleans Mint dollar struck from a die whose CC mint mark was overpunched with an O. The 1900-O Morgan Dollar issue as a whole had a mintage of 12.6 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. New Orleans's branch mint, active from 1838 through 1909, produced coins that carry a distinct historical significance tied to the antebellum and postbellum South. Struck in 90% silver, 10% copper, weighing 26.73 grams, 38.1 mm in diameter, with a reeded edge. Cataloged as PCGS #7268.