1903-S Morgan Silver Dollar. MS-65 (PCGS).
Smooth satin luster flows serenely over both sides of this exceptionally well preserved 1903-S dollar. Blushes of iridescent pinkish-apricot toning drift over a base of pale pewter gray tinting to provide strong eye appeal. Boldly, if not sharply struck in all areas with an impressively smooth appearance overall. Simply put, the 1903-S is one of the rarest Morgan silver dollars in Mint State. A relatively limited mintage of 1,241,000 coins is partly to blame for this, but the real culprit is the distribution, or rather lack thereof, of this issue. With well worn survivors in grades such as Good and VG relatively obtainable, it seems likely that a fair number of 1903-S dollars entered circulation shortly after striking. Later releases of Mint State coins were few and far between, which suggests that much of the mintage succumbed to melting pursuant to the 1918 Pittman Act. The present Gem ranks among the finer certified examples, and its offering in this sale represents a significant bidding opportunity for quality conscious Morgan dollar collectors.
PCGS# 7288. NGC ID: 256T.
From the Jones Collection.