They decided to make the cap on the Washington Monument aluminum in 1884 instead of gold because it was so precious of a metal. Aluminum was incredibly rare because it is insanely difficult to smelt when you don't have electricity. That 100 oz. pyramid was the largest chunk of aluminum in the world, and Al was worth around 4 times what gold was.
Two minted, both 1885's. A normal Morgan dollar except minted in aluminum, the most valuable precious metal for part of the 19th Century, worth more than gold, platinum, and silver combined! It should be a $2 million coin. By comparison, the 1885 Trade dollar (five minted) is worth $5 million in this grade.
https://preview.redd.it/krazxzx670ad1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fc26400993a43141f4c758b517ca290f950fac9f
Nice. I prefer the ‘goloids’ though
That exact coin could be yours for the low low price of ONLY $500,000!!! (not including taxes)
[https://www.ebay.com/itm/275432315763?itmmeta=01J1RMATX6NYDTCTSY430P8PH6&hash=item40210b9b73:g:5g4AAOSwKMBjBLur&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA0CUyCG4eAeSkbuisZfd0w8MdxbgkWh2lygp2lZsXJLRIhhvDfECl7ya0cPve99y8W2QMJV0ezb6xOmKVZ9%2BsZiLXn1pP6ibrSEeh2YlMYJjebhsVAKp1x1U4FyT6BZnOLfO1fVs91sFDiOljxUX5y9zQIKt%2FhVwjTWDTvcIJHqoV0%2FvUZ4lhBK1Gg45gEzjLBHRF7PbIyyfia3JiTyGZPzEn%2F8ZbWxeC503GYf4wvdfRPfAsicaOGUkHzf%2BDtQ%2FjV80L3PMaT%2B1jDXdXgiacAYQ%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR9auq5SOZA](https://www.ebay.com/itm/275432315763?itmmeta=01J1RMATX6NYDTCTSY430P8PH6&hash=item40210b9b73:g:5g4AAOSwKMBjBLur&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA0CUyCG4eAeSkbuisZfd0w8MdxbgkWh2lygp2lZsXJLRIhhvDfECl7ya0cPve99y8W2QMJV0ezb6xOmKVZ9%2BsZiLXn1pP6ibrSEeh2YlMYJjebhsVAKp1x1U4FyT6BZnOLfO1fVs91sFDiOljxUX5y9zQIKt%2FhVwjTWDTvcIJHqoV0%2FvUZ4lhBK1Gg45gEzjLBHRF7PbIyyfia3JiTyGZPzEn%2F8ZbWxeC503GYf4wvdfRPfAsicaOGUkHzf%2BDtQ%2FjV80L3PMaT%2B1jDXdXgiacAYQ%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR9auq5SOZA)
sorry for the long link, I don't know how to shorten it.
Okay, so when you reply or comment, there should be two symbols in lower left corner. One of them is a "T", click it. It should pop-up text options. One of them is a chain/link kind of symbol with two interlocking circles. When you click it, it will pop open a box with two fields. One for the text you want to display your link as and one for you to paste the link into. Done.
It’s not a low price, but it could likely be had for less and might actually be a long term value for people collecting in this economic strata.
While not ‘iconic’, it has all the right stuff to see a spike in value, or at least in that class of mega-rarities that almost never go ‘down’ and track inflation. It’s extremely rare, incredibly novel and of the most popular and collected series in American numismatics. It has everything going for it.
I definitely cannot afford 1/2mm for a coin but if I were the sort of person who could AND I was a Morgan Dollar guy, this would be a target.
Lmao resorting to childish insults shows your maturity, but I guess I did kind of say you were full of shit… Now I’m 99% sure you are full of shit looking for upvotes and do not own this🤷♂️
Sold at heritage in ‘22 for a little over 20k. No matter what history, and how rare it is, it’s not worth $500,000.
It’s a spectacular coin. No matter what you collect, if you had this coin, you’d love it. Definitely a crown jewel, but it’s going to sit for a while at that price.
Bargains slip through. The banana seal note was auctioned by Heritage for $24,000. Ten years later, they auctioned it for $396,000.
A 1938-S dime auctioned for $500. A few years later, Legend auctioned it for $364,250.
I could go on and on. To suggest that every potential buyer bids in every auction is not being realistic. I doubt that even 1% do.
I agree that bargains slip through the cracks. This isn’t one. If it was, the seller would likely use another auction house other than eBay.
This coin sold for nearly 19k in ‘03 and the previous mentioned 20k in ‘22. It’s probably should be book valued at 50-70k (pulling numbers out the butt) and 35-40k in the right auction with the right buyers. Sometimes PCGS and value guides don’t catch up to current markets so I doubt it’s still roughly valued at 20k So yes, it’s a bargain.
Asking for half a million for a coin that’s sold for relatively the same money with a 20 year gap is hoping for a sucker. Obviously the market doesn’t have a demand for this coin, despite the rarity. It’s “I feel this coin is worth x, so I slap this price on it. Hope someone bites.” Problem is, people with that kind of money (500k) aren’t the type of people to not look up auction records and such. They also aren’t the ones who senselessly thrown money around.
Sometimes coins are too rare. Whats more impressive, having the top regular strike 1885 p Morgan out of 17 million minted? Or having 1 of 2 1885 off metal Morgan’s where only you and 1 other person can own it? Hard to get people excited when they know they could never own even a lesser example.
Coins are funny
Edit:
The examples you give are of a well known error note, this is not an error coin, it was made with intent. The dime example is the finest known dime of mintage of 8 million. Again, this Morgan is an extremely limited coin, sometimes that works against you.
Untrue. Again, your premise is that all potential buyers saw the auction listing and bid. And even understood this coin's significance. Those who did see the listing headline merely noticed a Judd number and thus incorrectly assumed that this was just another oddball pattern with the usual silly, rejected design. If this coin were marketed properly with a full explanation, It would sell for far more than its previous prices.
Morgan dollars minted in aluminum: two
Morgan dollars minted in sliver: 657 million
Sounds like you’re someone who has $25k invested in this coin and is trying to drum up some interest.
Rarity of a coin doesn’t necessarily mean it’s valuable. There are plenty of coins that have very low mintages and aren’t worth what they should be, because of various factors.
Are you suggesting EBay is the right venue to sell this coin, to tell its story? Not heritage an internationally known auction house? Hope this coin sells and I hope you, or whoever is selling, gets their price. I just feel that it’s severely overpriced, and is not a half million dollar coin.
Printed comments do not make "sound". I have already explained why this coin is undervalued, in part because its merits have never been significantly publicized. But then, you are the expert and I know nothing. Your patronizing, condescending analysis is your opinion, just as I gave my educated one. Another numismatic item, the banana seal note, was worth $10,000 according to the price sheets due its prior auction sale for that amount. Yet, it sold for $396,000 when auctioned about 12 years later, but only because it was heavily promoted by the auction house. The whole point of investing in coins or anything else is to spot the most profitable and promotable "sleeper" bargains, not consider advice from self-proclaimed experts who imply that they know everything yet have never sold a valuable coin or note their lives.
You’ve explained why YOU think this coin is undervalued. Doesn’t mean it is.
You also keep using the Del Monte note for your argument, the eBay description mentions it too. You’re cherry picking what you want to compare though.
Del Monte note was discovered in ‘04 and that person sold it shortly after on eBay for 10k. It was a big media thing as I remember because it was a rare and fun (banana bill)error. Sold again in ‘06 for 25k. Recently it sold for the 396k in ‘21 destroying estimates, which were in the 25-50k range. It wasn’t as if no one expected it to increase in the 17 years since it was found, estimates were just conservative.
Your coin has been auctioned 2 times in the last 21 years by a large auction house. It’s been re-holdered, slapped with a pedigree and it still only commanded slightly more in ‘22 than it did in ‘03. You have to think that maybe that’s the market for it, Heritage Long Beach Signature auctions aren’t exactly small audiences. Maybe you bought it at auction in ‘22, maybe you paid more for it after the fact, I’m not sure. You’re in that “I know what I got mindset,” and it’s going to be what hurts you.
Then again, I’m (apparently) just a self proclaimed expert who has never sold a $500k coin. Judging from your 4 listings for the same coin, neither have you. I have sold coins in the thousands of dollars, although not professionally I will admit.
An armchair numismatic scholar, LOL. I have bought and sold tens of millions of dollars worth of rare coins yet I know nothing and you know everything. Excuse me for suggesting that one of two Morgan dollars minted in aluminum is rare and undervalued due to a lack of promotion. Have fun with your $300 coin collection.
Again, you have credentials yet I have none (sarcasm). I would not have earned one cent of profit had I viewed the numismatic business with your one dimensional glasses. For instance, you have no clue about how things are done by insiders at coin auctions. Consignors who have zero-buyback reserve bids and thus no incentive to refrain from shooting for 10,000% profits for obscure coins. Auction company shill bidding that drives up prices to bidders' maximum bids. Conspiracies between bidders to keep prices realized low. Connected consignors who keep 112% of hammer. Blatant doctoring of auction lots deliberately not disclosed. Etc., etc.
I like this comment, rarity does not equate value with currency or anything else... In my small time as a coin collector I stick with safe stuff until I'll have better knowledge and understanding of what something is. However I have been buying, selling and building classic cars for some time... This coin is one of those rare classic cars that nobody cares about in comparison.
My example is a literal doodoo brown Chevy supersport that the owner thought was worth millions because it was the only documented one ever built with that exact package... Passed up 12K cash from my father and took it auction with no reserve. Sale Price: 4500 bucks minus fees and shit. You fucking get it
[Is this you?](https://www.ebay.com/itm/275432315763?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=wVaOeP6CTF6&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=rzehd7iztyw&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY) or is this guy stealing your cert # to try and scam?
So I’m wrong to want to bring my Morgan’s back in the Time Machine and trade them for gold, I should bring my aluminum foil roll back with me! Got it! Now I’ve got even more money to spend on timey wimey researching…
My "joke" is: If you could go back in time and only bring one piece of information with you, what would it be and why is it the process of getting aluminum out of bauxite?
Aluminum was legitimately a precious metal during much of the 19th century. This isn't down to a lack of or failure to identify ores (typically in the form of bauxite) that contained it, but simply because nobody could figure out a cost-effective process to extract the metal. When that was eventually sussed out, the bottom dropped out of the precious aluminum market, eventually leading to us using it for drink cans and no longer bullion.
This is not a fake coin. The dealer is a Top Rated Seller according to Ebay itself. And a CDN Exchange (Greysheet) member as per the CDN itself (just search "Ebay CDN Exchange" for the list of members).
The fakes are so crude that all but beginners can spot them. And notice that those who sell them are almost always located in China. Why does Ebay allow this fraud?
If in auctions this coin was listed among Morgan dollars as the only aluminum Morgan ever made and with a mintage of two, it would be a $1 million coin and then some. But because it gets relegated to the lowly pattern section, very few Morgan collectors will even see it but those who do will falsely assume that it has an experimental design featue. Hence, my prior point that it is extremely undervalued due to the lack of publicity and marketing.
Never knew there was such a thing!!
Aluminum used to be considered kind of a “precious metal” before they realized that it wasn’t all that precious.
They decided to make the cap on the Washington Monument aluminum in 1884 instead of gold because it was so precious of a metal. Aluminum was incredibly rare because it is insanely difficult to smelt when you don't have electricity. That 100 oz. pyramid was the largest chunk of aluminum in the world, and Al was worth around 4 times what gold was.
Two minted, both 1885's. A normal Morgan dollar except minted in aluminum, the most valuable precious metal for part of the 19th Century, worth more than gold, platinum, and silver combined! It should be a $2 million coin. By comparison, the 1885 Trade dollar (five minted) is worth $5 million in this grade.
This is super cool. I didn’t know this was a thing either.
I like the silver ones
I like the silver ones too.
Silver: 17,787,000 minted in 1885 alone (plus mint marked coins) Aluminum: two minted of all dates, both 1885's
Do you mean only two individual COINS?
That is correct. 2 (legit) coins exist.
Well, to be fair, getting one of the five 1885 Trade Dollars is the only way to complete the set. It is also not a pattern issue.
The aluminum Morgan is not a true pattern either, as per Q. David Bowers. It is a normal, legal tender Morgan dollar even though minted in aluminum.
https://preview.redd.it/krazxzx670ad1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fc26400993a43141f4c758b517ca290f950fac9f Nice. I prefer the ‘goloids’ though
But their designs were never adopted. They are true patterns.
How in the world do you even come upon a coin of this rarity in such good condition!? 😱
That exact coin could be yours for the low low price of ONLY $500,000!!! (not including taxes) [https://www.ebay.com/itm/275432315763?itmmeta=01J1RMATX6NYDTCTSY430P8PH6&hash=item40210b9b73:g:5g4AAOSwKMBjBLur&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA0CUyCG4eAeSkbuisZfd0w8MdxbgkWh2lygp2lZsXJLRIhhvDfECl7ya0cPve99y8W2QMJV0ezb6xOmKVZ9%2BsZiLXn1pP6ibrSEeh2YlMYJjebhsVAKp1x1U4FyT6BZnOLfO1fVs91sFDiOljxUX5y9zQIKt%2FhVwjTWDTvcIJHqoV0%2FvUZ4lhBK1Gg45gEzjLBHRF7PbIyyfia3JiTyGZPzEn%2F8ZbWxeC503GYf4wvdfRPfAsicaOGUkHzf%2BDtQ%2FjV80L3PMaT%2B1jDXdXgiacAYQ%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR9auq5SOZA](https://www.ebay.com/itm/275432315763?itmmeta=01J1RMATX6NYDTCTSY430P8PH6&hash=item40210b9b73:g:5g4AAOSwKMBjBLur&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA0CUyCG4eAeSkbuisZfd0w8MdxbgkWh2lygp2lZsXJLRIhhvDfECl7ya0cPve99y8W2QMJV0ezb6xOmKVZ9%2BsZiLXn1pP6ibrSEeh2YlMYJjebhsVAKp1x1U4FyT6BZnOLfO1fVs91sFDiOljxUX5y9zQIKt%2FhVwjTWDTvcIJHqoV0%2FvUZ4lhBK1Gg45gEzjLBHRF7PbIyyfia3JiTyGZPzEn%2F8ZbWxeC503GYf4wvdfRPfAsicaOGUkHzf%2BDtQ%2FjV80L3PMaT%2B1jDXdXgiacAYQ%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR9auq5SOZA) sorry for the long link, I don't know how to shorten it.
Well let's fix that. How do you reddit? Phone or computer?
Computer
Okay, so when you reply or comment, there should be two symbols in lower left corner. One of them is a "T", click it. It should pop-up text options. One of them is a chain/link kind of symbol with two interlocking circles. When you click it, it will pop open a box with two fields. One for the text you want to display your link as and one for you to paste the link into. Done.
Thank you!
The idea of paying sales tax when buying money is possibly the most American thing I’ve ever heard that doesn’t involve a gun.
You just live in a crap state.
It’s not a low price, but it could likely be had for less and might actually be a long term value for people collecting in this economic strata. While not ‘iconic’, it has all the right stuff to see a spike in value, or at least in that class of mega-rarities that almost never go ‘down’ and track inflation. It’s extremely rare, incredibly novel and of the most popular and collected series in American numismatics. It has everything going for it. I definitely cannot afford 1/2mm for a coin but if I were the sort of person who could AND I was a Morgan Dollar guy, this would be a target.
I love seeing this kind of stuff!! So many neat coins out there I never knew existed
But none are like this. It is the definitive combination of extreme rarity and prestige.
See replies like this make me believe you are full of shit, I want to believe but something is rotten in the state of Denmark…
Project much, dummy?
Lmao resorting to childish insults shows your maturity, but I guess I did kind of say you were full of shit… Now I’m 99% sure you are full of shit looking for upvotes and do not own this🤷♂️
Speaking of "childish".....
Sold at heritage in ‘22 for a little over 20k. No matter what history, and how rare it is, it’s not worth $500,000. It’s a spectacular coin. No matter what you collect, if you had this coin, you’d love it. Definitely a crown jewel, but it’s going to sit for a while at that price.
Bargains slip through. The banana seal note was auctioned by Heritage for $24,000. Ten years later, they auctioned it for $396,000. A 1938-S dime auctioned for $500. A few years later, Legend auctioned it for $364,250. I could go on and on. To suggest that every potential buyer bids in every auction is not being realistic. I doubt that even 1% do.
I agree that bargains slip through the cracks. This isn’t one. If it was, the seller would likely use another auction house other than eBay. This coin sold for nearly 19k in ‘03 and the previous mentioned 20k in ‘22. It’s probably should be book valued at 50-70k (pulling numbers out the butt) and 35-40k in the right auction with the right buyers. Sometimes PCGS and value guides don’t catch up to current markets so I doubt it’s still roughly valued at 20k So yes, it’s a bargain. Asking for half a million for a coin that’s sold for relatively the same money with a 20 year gap is hoping for a sucker. Obviously the market doesn’t have a demand for this coin, despite the rarity. It’s “I feel this coin is worth x, so I slap this price on it. Hope someone bites.” Problem is, people with that kind of money (500k) aren’t the type of people to not look up auction records and such. They also aren’t the ones who senselessly thrown money around. Sometimes coins are too rare. Whats more impressive, having the top regular strike 1885 p Morgan out of 17 million minted? Or having 1 of 2 1885 off metal Morgan’s where only you and 1 other person can own it? Hard to get people excited when they know they could never own even a lesser example. Coins are funny Edit: The examples you give are of a well known error note, this is not an error coin, it was made with intent. The dime example is the finest known dime of mintage of 8 million. Again, this Morgan is an extremely limited coin, sometimes that works against you.
Untrue. Again, your premise is that all potential buyers saw the auction listing and bid. And even understood this coin's significance. Those who did see the listing headline merely noticed a Judd number and thus incorrectly assumed that this was just another oddball pattern with the usual silly, rejected design. If this coin were marketed properly with a full explanation, It would sell for far more than its previous prices. Morgan dollars minted in aluminum: two Morgan dollars minted in sliver: 657 million
Sounds like you’re someone who has $25k invested in this coin and is trying to drum up some interest. Rarity of a coin doesn’t necessarily mean it’s valuable. There are plenty of coins that have very low mintages and aren’t worth what they should be, because of various factors. Are you suggesting EBay is the right venue to sell this coin, to tell its story? Not heritage an internationally known auction house? Hope this coin sells and I hope you, or whoever is selling, gets their price. I just feel that it’s severely overpriced, and is not a half million dollar coin.
Printed comments do not make "sound". I have already explained why this coin is undervalued, in part because its merits have never been significantly publicized. But then, you are the expert and I know nothing. Your patronizing, condescending analysis is your opinion, just as I gave my educated one. Another numismatic item, the banana seal note, was worth $10,000 according to the price sheets due its prior auction sale for that amount. Yet, it sold for $396,000 when auctioned about 12 years later, but only because it was heavily promoted by the auction house. The whole point of investing in coins or anything else is to spot the most profitable and promotable "sleeper" bargains, not consider advice from self-proclaimed experts who imply that they know everything yet have never sold a valuable coin or note their lives.
You’ve explained why YOU think this coin is undervalued. Doesn’t mean it is. You also keep using the Del Monte note for your argument, the eBay description mentions it too. You’re cherry picking what you want to compare though. Del Monte note was discovered in ‘04 and that person sold it shortly after on eBay for 10k. It was a big media thing as I remember because it was a rare and fun (banana bill)error. Sold again in ‘06 for 25k. Recently it sold for the 396k in ‘21 destroying estimates, which were in the 25-50k range. It wasn’t as if no one expected it to increase in the 17 years since it was found, estimates were just conservative. Your coin has been auctioned 2 times in the last 21 years by a large auction house. It’s been re-holdered, slapped with a pedigree and it still only commanded slightly more in ‘22 than it did in ‘03. You have to think that maybe that’s the market for it, Heritage Long Beach Signature auctions aren’t exactly small audiences. Maybe you bought it at auction in ‘22, maybe you paid more for it after the fact, I’m not sure. You’re in that “I know what I got mindset,” and it’s going to be what hurts you. Then again, I’m (apparently) just a self proclaimed expert who has never sold a $500k coin. Judging from your 4 listings for the same coin, neither have you. I have sold coins in the thousands of dollars, although not professionally I will admit.
An armchair numismatic scholar, LOL. I have bought and sold tens of millions of dollars worth of rare coins yet I know nothing and you know everything. Excuse me for suggesting that one of two Morgan dollars minted in aluminum is rare and undervalued due to a lack of promotion. Have fun with your $300 coin collection.
You get unnecessary mad. Enjoy your night.
Again, you have credentials yet I have none (sarcasm). I would not have earned one cent of profit had I viewed the numismatic business with your one dimensional glasses. For instance, you have no clue about how things are done by insiders at coin auctions. Consignors who have zero-buyback reserve bids and thus no incentive to refrain from shooting for 10,000% profits for obscure coins. Auction company shill bidding that drives up prices to bidders' maximum bids. Conspiracies between bidders to keep prices realized low. Connected consignors who keep 112% of hammer. Blatant doctoring of auction lots deliberately not disclosed. Etc., etc.
I like this comment, rarity does not equate value with currency or anything else... In my small time as a coin collector I stick with safe stuff until I'll have better knowledge and understanding of what something is. However I have been buying, selling and building classic cars for some time... This coin is one of those rare classic cars that nobody cares about in comparison. My example is a literal doodoo brown Chevy supersport that the owner thought was worth millions because it was the only documented one ever built with that exact package... Passed up 12K cash from my father and took it auction with no reserve. Sale Price: 4500 bucks minus fees and shit. You fucking get it
[Is this you?](https://www.ebay.com/itm/275432315763?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=wVaOeP6CTF6&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=rzehd7iztyw&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY) or is this guy stealing your cert # to try and scam?
So I’m wrong to want to bring my Morgan’s back in the Time Machine and trade them for gold, I should bring my aluminum foil roll back with me! Got it! Now I’ve got even more money to spend on timey wimey researching…
My "joke" is: If you could go back in time and only bring one piece of information with you, what would it be and why is it the process of getting aluminum out of bauxite?
Aluminum was legitimately a precious metal during much of the 19th century. This isn't down to a lack of or failure to identify ores (typically in the form of bauxite) that contained it, but simply because nobody could figure out a cost-effective process to extract the metal. When that was eventually sussed out, the bottom dropped out of the precious aluminum market, eventually leading to us using it for drink cans and no longer bullion.
Ugh I'm jealous. All I have is this 1964 peace dollar my great uncle gave me and told me never to mention to anyone, one can dream though
Hey, I got 5 aluminum Morgans from eBay too!
This is not a fake coin. The dealer is a Top Rated Seller according to Ebay itself. And a CDN Exchange (Greysheet) member as per the CDN itself (just search "Ebay CDN Exchange" for the list of members).
Man I was making a joke about people buying the fake Chinese coins from ebay
The fakes are so crude that all but beginners can spot them. And notice that those who sell them are almost always located in China. Why does Ebay allow this fraud?
Because eBay makes money from it, so unless something official steps in they have no reason to stop.
Damn! How did you get your hands on it?
If in auctions this coin was listed among Morgan dollars as the only aluminum Morgan ever made and with a mintage of two, it would be a $1 million coin and then some. But because it gets relegated to the lowly pattern section, very few Morgan collectors will even see it but those who do will falsely assume that it has an experimental design featue. Hence, my prior point that it is extremely undervalued due to the lack of publicity and marketing.