Expert: Ronald Fern - 1/6/2011

Question
I have come across a silver dollar from 1903. CC is the mark on the back. But when i try to look it up. I can find nothing from carson city in the year 1903.What is going on? Thank you soooo much for your time.

Answer
Hi Nora:

Thanks for your question. There was none minted that year, so you likely have either an altered coin where a mint mark was added or changed, or a counterfeit coin. Carson City silver dollars are a valuable memento of an era in American history when the west was booming. The silver in these silver dollars was mined in the famous Comstock Lode, discovered in the mountains near Carson City, Nevada. The Carson City mint was established there in 1870 to process the gold and silver being mined near there. Morgan silver dollars were minted there from 1878 through 1885 and from 1889 through 1893 making for 13 pieces total.

It is possible it is a copy. As a copy, if struck in silver, it would likely be worth approximately $30 to $35 to an interested collector. Early silver dollars are well known as being counterfeited in the numismatic community. Many coins are now being made in China and are getting into the U.S. through flea markets and swap meets.

How to tell if it is real: A legitimate Morgan Silver Dollar is 38.1 mm in Diameter. The composition is .90 Silver and .10 Copper. The Weight: 27 grams. The edge will be reeded. For more information, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_dollar

If you live close to a coin shop, they should offer you an opinion as to the condition, and value at no charge. Always try and get at least two opinions and try and deal with PNG dealers if possible. If you should decide to sell your coins to a dealer, remember they will offer about 50% to 60% of the retail value. Here's a link to find one in your area: http://www.pngdealers.com/dealersearch.php

These "copies" show up on eBay from time to time. You may want to check out the US coins and currency category under Replicas to see if your piece is listed and what it is going for.

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Thank You and Good Luck in your collecting.