• 1887-O – New Orleans presses were out-of-alignment this year; most coins show flat hair over Liberty’s ear and a mushy eagle breast.

• 1891-O – PCGS calls it “the worst-struck of all Morgan dollars”; nearly every piece shows soft centers and grainy luster.

• 1892-O – Centers usually come flat and gray; attractive gems are rare because of the mint’s chronically low press pressure that year.

• 1896-O – Survivors in mint state are famed for dull surfaces and indistinct details, a direct legacy of tired equipment at the O-mint.

• 1900-O – Strike quality “varies from somewhat weak to quite sharp,” but the majority of coins are on the soft side and need cherrypicking.

• 1901-O – Gainesville Coins notes O-mint pieces as “more likely to have weak strikes”; Liberty’s hair and the eagle’s high points are often flat.

• 1902-O – Even NGC’s press release on the Great Southern Hoard highlighted the issue’s reputation for feeble strikes and dull luster.

• 1903-O – Luster is decent, but strikes range “from sharp to weaker”; many pieces show shallow lettering and center detail.

• 1921-P – The Philadelphia return to Morgan dollars used a new low-relief hub; coins are typically flat around the rims and on the eagle’s breast.

• 1921-D – Denver’s first (and only) Morgan run pushed new presses hard, producing uniformly shallow, lifeless detail.

Why so many “O-mint” problems?

New Orleans operated older presses and often ran them at low tonnage to conserve machinery; dies were basined on-site, and poor basining angles further reduced metal flow. Contemporary complaints from Mint inspectors, and modern research, confirm that the branch routinely turned out coins with weak centers and lackluster surfaces

Grading Standards

VF-20 Very Fine- Two thirds of hair lines from top of forehead to ear visible. Ear well defined. Feathers on eagle’s breast worn.                    EF-40 Extremely Fine- All hair lines strong and ear bold. Eagle’s feathers all plain but with slight wear on breast and wing tips.                        AU-50- About Uncirculated- Slight trace of wear on the bust shoulder and hair left of forehead, and on eagle’s breast and top edges of                                                                           wings.                                                                                                                                                                                            MS-60 Uncirculated- No trace of wear; full mint luster present, but may noticeably marred by scuff marks or bag abrasions.                        MS-63 Choice Uncirculated- No trace of wear; full mint luster; few noticeable surface marks.                                                                                      MS-64 Uncirculated- A few scattered contact marks/ Good eye appeal and attractive luster.                                                                                        MS-65 Gem Uncirculated- Only light, scattered contact marks that are not distracting. Strong luster, good eye appeal.                                      PF-63 Choice Proof- Reflective surfaces with few blemishes in secondary focal places. No major flaws.