US Coins

McClure Collection Morgans of 1895 draw attention

The Long Beach Coin, Currency, Stamp and Sports Collectible Expo is set for California’s Long Beach convention center from June 9 to 11.

Anchoring Heritage’s official show auctions will be the Rev. Dr. James Gore King McClure Collection of U.S. and world coins, medals and tokens, which Heritage describes as “a pristine, fresh-to-market grouping of more than 3,000 coins collected between the 1860s and the 1930s.”

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The collection’s 1895-O Morgan dollar is graded NGC MS-65+ CAC and is tied for the finest example of the issue at CAC. Widely considered the third-rarest Morgan dollar in Mint State, second only to the 1892-S and 1893-S coins, it is significantly rarer than the 1895-S Morgan dollar, despite similar mintages.

The lot description points out that the strike is better than one would expect for this New Orleans Mint issue and that the surfaces display the satiny luster typical of the issue. On the toning, the cataloger observes, “Much of each side displays cream-gold and champagne toning but with crescents of blended multicolor hues along the left-hand peripheries,” before concluding, “The preservation is remarkable, as a loupe readily confirms.”

Another 1895 dollar sure to draw attention is McClure’s Proof 64 1895 Morgan dollar with a green CAC sticker.

Since circulation strike Philadelphia Mint 1895 Morgan dollars are unknown despite a reported mintage of 12,000 pieces (the coins were almost certainly dated 1894), collectors have long put pressure on the 880 Proof coins to fill the gap.

The present example features intense shades of green-gold, cobalt blue, and lilac toning across deeply reflective, mirrored fields.

The Long Beach Expo will host more than 400 dealers and Professional Coin Grading Service will celebrate its 30th anniversary celebration with a grading seminar.

Additional programing includes a treasure hunt for young collectors and club meetings including the Ancient Coin Club of Los Angeles, Christian Coin Dealers, Early American Coppers, Liberty Seated Collectors Club, Long Beach Coin Club, Long Beach Stamp Club, National Silver Dollar Roundtable, and the Philippine Collectors Forum.


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