Numismatic

1880-CC Morgan Dollar MS-64 NGC

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The year 1880 marked a significant moment in American coinage, particularly at the Carson City Mint in Nevada. This silver dollar, featuring the iconic design by George T. Morgan, represents a fascinating era of western expansion and mineral wealth. Authorized under the Bland-Allison Act of 1878, these coins were minted using silver extracted from the legendary Comstock Lode. Out of an initial mintage of 591,000 pieces, approximately 100,000 were later melted down, leaving a final surviving mintage of just 495,000. The obverse of the coin displays a left-facing portrait of Lady Liberty. She wears a Phrygian cap decorated with a wreath woven from cotton and wheat, symbolizing American agricultural abundance. On the reverse, a bald eagle is depicted with outspread wings, clutching an olive branch and arrows in its talons. This central image is framed by the motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" and the inscriptions "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and "ONE DOLLAR". Struck from 0.900 fine silver, this coin contains 0.7734 troy ounces of precious metal and measures 38.1 mm in diameter. Bearing the famous "CC" mint mark, this specific specimen has survived the decades in remarkable condition, graded as Mint State 64 (MS-64), preserving the crisp details of its historic engraving.