Collectors Guide to Morgan Silver Dollars - Littleton Coin Company

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The Only YearDenver Minted MorgansOriginally, the Denver Mint operated as an assay office, and neverstruck any Morgan silver dollars. In 1921, when silver dollar productionwas resumed, the Mint struck Morgans for the first and last time. A smallnumber of specially engraved Morgan silver dollars gave collectors unusualmementos of this remarkable occasion at the Denver Mint.In 1862, the government purchased the Clark-Gruber banking facility for$25,000 with the intention of establishing a branch Mint. However, due tohostilities with Native American tribes, the Denver facility was never ableto function as a branch Mint. Instead, it became an assay office, openingin September 1863. Miners brought in their gold, then it was melted andmade into bars. The bars were stamped with the fineness and theinscription “U.S. BRANCH MINT, DENVER.” In 1877, the building haddeteriorated, so funds were appropriated for a new Mint. Although the newMint building was completed in 1904, it was not until l906 that full coinageproduction began.The Pittman Act of 1918 authorized the U.S. government to melt downas much as $350 million worth of silver dollars. The resulting bullion wassold to Great Britain and shipped to India. This British colony’s currencywas to be backed by the silver bullion from America.To stabilize the price of silver, the Act also stipulated that thegovernment was to buy an equivalent amount of domestic silver to replacethose coins that were melted down. The Act proved advantageous in anumber of ways. The British government got the silver it needed to backIndia’s currency; the U.S. government received revenue from the millions12Denver “D”mint mark
of silver dollars stored in Treasury vaults; and the American silver industrywas revitalized.Silver dollar production was resumed in 1921 at the U.S. Mints. After arespite of 17 years, beautiful Morgan silver dollars were to be struck for onefinal year! The Denver Mint would strike its first silver dollars.Naturally, this was cause for excitement at the Denver facility.Superintendent Thomas Annear was determined to have the event suitablyrecorded for posterity. He arranged for the first 100 Morgan silver dollars tobe engraved with sequential numbers. He would then hand these out assouvenirs of the historic event. The legend to be hand engraved on thecoins read:[1st] DOLLAR RELEASED FROM 1ST 100EVER COINED AT DENVER MINTTHOMAS ANNEAR SUPTHowever, since engraving the 65 letters and digits onto each coin would belabor-intensive and time consuming, it is believed that only a smallquantity was engraved. Only 12 engraved Denver Morgans can beaccounted for. The first coin went to the Colorado State Historical Societyand remains there today. The second has disappeared without a trace.Coins numbered three through twelve mysteriously ended up in thehands of coin dealer Max Mehl and were auctioned off. A recent sightingof one of these fascinating coins occurred in 1989, when an Illinoiscollector picked up the 4th engraved coin in change from a bingo game!The Morgan silver dollar shown hereis one of twelve known that werespecially engraved at the DenverMint. This was the fourth Morganproduced in 1921, and was found by acollector in change from a 1989 bingogame! The very first engraved Morganwent to the Colorado State HistoricalSociety, and is displayed there today.13
Page 1 and 2: LITTLETON’S$4.95COLLECTORS GUIDE
Page 3 and 4: Collecting is a way to make time st
Page 5 and 6: What became of the partners?Despite
Page 7 and 8: The American Eagle on the reverse o
Page 9 and 10: The New Orleans MintThe U.S. branch
Page 11: The Morgan Silver DollarDate: 1878
Page 15 and 16: California Street, looking west tow
Page 17: The Mint at Carson Citywas nothing
Page 21 and 22: Some homesteaders constructed their
Page 23 and 24: The Reno Casino HoardRudy, like Red
Page 25 and 26: The History ofLittleton Coin Compan
Page 27 and 28: Caring for Your CoinsProper handlin

Collectors Guide to Morgan Silver Dollars - Littleton Coin Company

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