1881-S $1 MS69 PCGS....

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Sold on Jan 9, 2009 for:

$28,750.00 Bid Source: Live: Floor bidder

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Pristine 1881-S Dollar, MS69
The Ultimate Type Coin

1881-S $1 MS69 PCGS. What do the 1880-S, 1881-S, 1883, 1889, and 1896-S Morgan dollar issues have in common? The are the only ones to have at least one MS69 representative in the PCGS Population Report. The comprehensive listing shows just 10 non-Prooflike pieces and a single Prooflike, with half the non-Prooflike coins and the Prooflike dated 1880-S. The 1881-S has two MS69 examples, while the other three dates hold a single representative each (11/08).
The 1881-S has long enjoyed a reputation as a type coin, and for good reason. In his Item of the Week column for the May 24, 2005 edition of Numismatic News, Paul M. Green notes wryly about 1881-S dollars: "The question is not whether it is in Mint State, but how nice it is." With vast quantities of 1881-S dollars paid out from the 1930s through the 1950s and at least half (6 million pieces) of the issue released in the Treasury bonanza of the 1960s, the 1881-S Morgan dollar is plentiful right through MS67, and even MS68 coins are available with a certain degree of time and money invested.
At the MS69 level, however, the collector's luck runs out, save for the fortunate two who will make up the roster of owners for the finest known 1881-S Morgan dollars. The present piece approaches flawlessness, with all but the sharpest unaided eye unable to spot a single quibble. Light silver-gray and gold-gray shadings visit smooth surfaces that sport virtually unimpeded luster. The strike is crisp, as expected. Whether it eventually serves as the ultimate Morgan dollar type coin or occupies a prominent role in a high-end series set, this MS69 Mint masterpiece will be a noteworthy trump.
From The Arno Collection.
See: Video Lot Description(Registry values: P1, N2998)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 2549, PCGS# 7130, Greysheet# 7486)

Weight: 26.73 grams

Metal: 90% Silver, 10% Copper

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