Shimmering 1881-S Morgan Dollar Toner at GreatCollections

On October 26, 2025, GreatCollections will sell a superb gem PCGS MS67+ CAC 1881-S Morgan Dollar. The 1881-S is widely regarded as the finest issue in the Morgan Dollar series, with many sharply-struck superb gem coins coming out of the San Francisco Mint. That may be true, but collectors put a premium on coins that combine full strikes, intense color, and well-preserved, mark-free surfaces. This coin is superlative in all three categories and is one of fewer than 500 coins graded at this level, with fewer than 300 coins finer.

The San Francisco Mint struck 12,760,000 Morgan Dollars in 1881. These coins were largely unnecessary for commerce and were put into long-term storage after being struck. The 1881-S, along with several other Morgan Dollar dates, were available at face value through banks and the Treasury until the early 1960s, when speculators emptied the vaults. 

Many 1881-S bags, held by private collectors and investors, remained unopened for decades. It is improbable that more than a handful now survive in this state. In these canvas bags, 1,000 silver dollar coins came into constant contact with one another, and most coins suffered numerous abrasions as a result—even coins as nicely made as the 1881-S often show marks that are minimally apparent on this example.

As for color, the Superb Gem 1881-S boasts an obverse with a layer of seafoam green, accompanied by dappled toning in magenta and orange. At the same time, the reverse maintains its original silver brilliance.

As it stands, this superior example will command the attention of all serious Morgan Dollar set builders. Its current bid sits at $1,052.45 with 26 days to go.

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GreatCollections has offered high-quality examples of thousands of collector coins over the years, including many top population pieces. To search through GreatCollection’s archive of over 600,000 certified coins and notes that the company has sold, please visit the GreatCollections Auction Archives.

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