1899-S $1 AU58 Certification #28980041, PCGS #7262

CoinFacts Details

Owner's Comments

Thanks to coins-collectorusa (eBay).

Expert Comments

Q. David Bowers

The following narrative, with minor editing, is from my "Silver Dollars & Trade Dollars of the United States: A Complete Encyclopedia" (Wolfeboro, NH: Bowers and Merena Galleries, Inc., 1993)

Numismatic Information

Hoard coins: A steady stream of Uncirculated 1899-S dollars-singly, in groups, and by the bag was paid out by the San Francisco Mint during the period from 1942 through the mid-1950s. By the time of the great Treasury release of 1962-1964, only a few bags were left. It is said that the Redfield hoard had a bag of high quality coins (per Wayne Miller) or less than a full bag, in MS-60 to 63 (per John Highfill), probably from the San Francisco Mint in the 1950s via casino shipments to Nevada.

Circulated grades: In worn grades the 1899-S is scarce, a situation not reflected by market values as Mint State coins are not rare-and keep the price of circulated grades down. A number of AU coins, once popularly called "sliders," are known, many of which were taken from Treasury bags.

Mint State grades: Mint State coins are slightly on the scarce side and compare with 1898-S in this regard. Despite their somewhat elusive nature, enough 1899-S dollars remain that examples can be obtained with little difficulty.

As per the distribution curve of most other Morgans, most 1899-S dollars are found at the lower condition levels, MS-60 to 62, which contain about 15,000 to 25,000 coins-equal to fully half of the known pieces. MS-63 coins number about 6,000 to 10,000, above which are 3,500 to 6,000 at the MS-64 stage. MS-65 and finer coins exist to the extent of about 1,000 to 2,000.

The typical 1899-S dollar is very well struck and has excellent lustre. Bagmarks, when present, are usually minimal. Apparently, most coins were not tossed around during storage for many years at the San Francisco Mint.

Prooflike coins: PL coins are plentiful, and probably at least a couple thousand or more exist. DMPL coins are, perhaps, three times scarcer, or so the NGC and PCGS data indicate.

Most PL and DMPL pieces are brilliant and have relatively few bagmarks. Most DMPL coins are not cameos.

Varieties

Business strikes:

1. Open 99, medium S, Breen-5661, VAM-1, 3-7, 10, others; Open 99, large wide S, Breen-5662, VAM-2, 8, unlisted (repunched S). Often seen in Mint State. Most of the Treasury hoard coins are of the Open 99 style.

2. Closed 99, large wide S, Breen-5663, VAM-9. Usually in low grades. Note: Probably not all 20 pairs of dies were used.
Dies prepared: Obverse: 20; Reverse: 20

Business strike mintage: 2,562,000; Delivery figures by month: January: 336,000; February: 336,000; March: 550,000; April: 284,000; May: 500,000; June: 510,000; July: 46,000; August: none; September: none; October: none; November: none; December: none.

Estimated quantity melted: Probably over 1,000,000 under various acts; more in later private melts.

Availability of prooflike coins: Prooflike coins are plentiful; so much so, that in the early 1980s they did not command a premium over regular Mint State coins. DMPL coins are several times scarcer than prooflikes. Cameo coins are great rarities.
Characteristics of striking: Usually well struck with excellent details and lustre.

Known hoards of Mint State coins: Bags were released in the 1940s and 1950s; a few bags were released 1962-1964; the Redfield hoard is said to have contained up to a bag.

Commentary

Most Mint State 1899-S dollars are well struck and very attractive.

Additional Information

Distribution of Dollars

The Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, 1899, told of distribution of silver dollars during the fiscal year: San Francisco. In mint July 1, 1898,48,324,220; coinage, fiscal year 1899, 4,248,000; total 52,572,220; In mint July 1, 1899, 51,962,686; total, 51,962,686; distributed from mint, 609,534.

Charles Morgan

The 1899-S Morgan Dollar

The San Francisco Morgan Dollar issues, so plentiful in Gem Mint State during the early years of the series, become quite elusive throughout the 1890s and early 1900s. The San Francisco Mint struck 2,562,000 1899-S Morgan Dollars (PCGS #7262), but over 1,000,000 were eventually culled via the Pittman Act and private melts.

1899-S Morgan Dollar Production
January	336,000	February	336,000
March	550,000	April	284,000
May	500,000	June	510,000
July	46,000	August-December	None
		Total: 2,562,000

Production focused almost entirely on the first six months of the year, followed by a final trickle of 46,000 coins in July. From the total mintage, only 609,534 coins were released into circulation; the remainder was held in storage. This explains why so many were available for melting and why the date is so rarely encountered in circulated grades.

Collecting the 1899-S Morgan Dollar

Despite this scarcity, the 1899-S Morgan Dollar is characterized by high quality; most Mint State examples feature a sharp strike and retain excellent luster. Many coins exhibit Prooflike surfaces, which explains why PL examples command little to no premium. Deep Mirror Prooflike (DMPL) specimens, however, command a 3x premium through the PCGS MS64 grade and can reach 10x the value in higher grades.

Vintage Market Snippets

A steady stream of 1899-S Morgan Collar bags was released by the San Francisco Mint from 1942 through the mid-1950s. By the peak of the Treasury releases (1962–1964), this stockpile was nearly exhausted, as evidenced by the date’s scant representation in the Redfield Hoard. Q. David Bowers posits that the 1899-S Dollars Redfield did possess were likely sourced from 1950s casino shipments.

* * *

PCGS #

7262

Designer

George T. Morgan

Edge

Reeded

Diameter

38.10 millimeters

Weight

26.73 grams

Mintage

2562000

Metal

90% Silver, 10% Copper

Pop Higher

4905

Pop Lower

1620

Region

The United States of America

Price Guide

PCGS Population

Auctions - PCGS Graded

Auctions - NGC Graded

Rarity and Survival Estimates Learn More

Grades	Survival Estimate The Survival Estimate represents an average of one or more experts opinions as to how many examples survive of a particular coin in three categories: 1) all grades, 2) 60 or better, and 3) 65 or better. These estimates are based on a variety of sources, including population reports, auction appearances, and personal knowledge. Survival estimates include coins that are raw, certified by PCGS, and certified by other grading services.	Numismatic Rarity Numismatic Rarity converts the Survival Estimate for a particular coin into a number from 1 to 10 (with decimal increments) based on the PCGS Rarity Scale. The higher the number, the more rare the coin.	Relative Rarity by Type Relative Rarity By Type ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Type. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.	Relative Rarity by Series Relative Rarity By Series ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Series. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.
65 or Better	256000	R-1.8	49 / 117 TIE	49 / 117 TIE
All Grades	40000	R-2.6	42 / 117 TIE	42 / 117 TIE
60 or Better	1900	R-4.6	59 / 117 TIE	59 / 117 TIE

Survival Estimate The Survival Estimate represents an average of one or more experts opinions as to how many examples survive of a particular coin in three categories: 1) all grades, 2) 60 or better, and 3) 65 or better. These estimates are based on a variety of sources, including population reports, auction appearances, and personal knowledge. Survival estimates include coins that are raw, certified by PCGS, and certified by other grading services.
65 or Better	256000
All Grades	40000
60 or Better	1900

Numismatic Rarity Numismatic Rarity converts the Survival Estimate for a particular coin into a number from 1 to 10 (with decimal increments) based on the PCGS Rarity Scale. The higher the number, the more rare the coin.
65 or Better	R-1.8
All Grades	R-2.6
60 or Better	R-4.6

Relative Rarity by Type Relative Rarity By Type ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Type. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.
65 or Better	49 / 117 TIE
All Grades	42 / 117 TIE
60 or Better	59 / 117 TIE

Relative Rarity by Series Relative Rarity By Series ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Series. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.
65 or Better	49 / 117 TIE
All Grades	42 / 117 TIE
60 or Better	59 / 117 TIE

Condition Census Learn More

Pos	Grade	Pedigree and History
1	PCGS MS67+	As PCGS MS67 #5628980. "The Morris Silverman Collection," Heritage Auctions, April 25, 2002, Lot 4258 - $12,650; "The Amherst Collection of Morgan Dollars," Bowers and Merena, November 13, 2007, Lot 2343 - $24,150. As PCGS MS67+ #28286137. "The Coronet Collection," Legend Rare Coin Auctions, October 15, 2015, Lot 18 - $49,937.50; Wurt Collection (PCGS Set Registry). Attributed by Bowers and Merena as a VAM-7 with off-register repunched date. Champagne gold with prominent die cracks along the tops of the obverse lettering and running horizontally across Liberty's neck. Frosty surfaces.
1	PCGS MS67+	"The Alan Gary Tyler Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). Champagne patination with russet toning along the obverse periphery.
3	PCGS MS67	As PCGS MS67 #83778200. Stack's Bowers, October 25, 2018, Lot 2098 - $17,400; Heritage Auctions, August 24, 2022, Lot 3973 - $14,400. As PCGS MS67 #52651546. "The Black Diamond Registry Set of Morgan Dollars with Varieties," GreatCollections, September 14, 2025, Lot 1900684 - $23,062.50; "The Sterling Hill Registry Set of Morgan Dollars," GreatCollections, March 8, 2026, Lot 2078965 - $15,194.25; "The Burke Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). Peach and apricot toning blends with blue, green, and gold. Slight rim push over B in PLURIBUS.
3	PCGS MS67	GreatCollections, December 28, 2025, Lot 2004020 - $21,094.88. A faint hint of champagne color washes across the obverse, while the reverse retains most of its original silvery-white brilliance. A small tick is visible in the field above stars 11 and 12. Die cracks have formed at the top of the letters from E to P in E PLURIBUS, as well as along the top of the letters bordering the reverse.
3	PCGS MS67	Jack Lee; GreatCollections, June 16, 2024, Lot 1585998 - $37,968.75. Nearly brilliant, with only scattered dollops of unobtrusive golden toning. A small die crack extends from the bust truncation over the "18" in the date. Additional die cracks run across the tops of the letters on the reverse.

#1 PCGS MS67+

As PCGS MS67 #5628980. "The Morris Silverman Collection," Heritage Auctions, April 25, 2002, Lot 4258 - $12,650; "The Amherst Collection of Morgan Dollars," Bowers and Merena, November 13, 2007, Lot 2343 - $24,150. As PCGS MS67+ #28286137. "The Coronet Collection," Legend Rare Coin Auctions, October 15, 2015, Lot 18 - $49,937.50; Wurt Collection (PCGS Set Registry). Attributed by Bowers and Merena as a VAM-7 with off-register repunched date. Champagne gold with prominent die cracks along the tops of the obverse lettering and running horizontally across Liberty's neck. Frosty surfaces.

#1 PCGS MS67+

"The Alan Gary Tyler Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). Champagne patination with russet toning along the obverse periphery.

#3 PCGS MS67

As PCGS MS67 #83778200. Stack's Bowers, October 25, 2018, Lot 2098 - $17,400; Heritage Auctions, August 24, 2022, Lot 3973 - $14,400. As PCGS MS67 #52651546. "The Black Diamond Registry Set of Morgan Dollars with Varieties," GreatCollections, September 14, 2025, Lot 1900684 - $23,062.50; "The Sterling Hill Registry Set of Morgan Dollars," GreatCollections, March 8, 2026, Lot 2078965 - $15,194.25; "The Burke Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). Peach and apricot toning blends with blue, green, and gold. Slight rim push over B in PLURIBUS.

#3 PCGS MS67

GreatCollections, December 28, 2025, Lot 2004020 - $21,094.88. A faint hint of champagne color washes across the obverse, while the reverse retains most of its original silvery-white brilliance. A small tick is visible in the field above stars 11 and 12. Die cracks have formed at the top of the letters from E to P in E PLURIBUS, as well as along the top of the letters bordering the reverse.

#3 PCGS MS67

Jack Lee; GreatCollections, June 16, 2024, Lot 1585998 - $37,968.75. Nearly brilliant, with only scattered dollops of unobtrusive golden toning. A small die crack extends from the bust truncation over the "18" in the date. Additional die cracks run across the tops of the letters on the reverse.