Home > Dollars > Morgan > 1870's > 1878 >

1878 7 over 8 Tail Feather Morgan - ANACS Genuine

Our Price: $499.95

Year: 1878
Mint(s): Philadelphia
Composition: .900 Pure Silver
Diameter: 38.1 mm
Mintage:

Product Code: 30562

Qty:

Description

The Morgan Dollar is considered by many the most popular coin in US history. It has the allure of the Wild West being struck between 1878 and 1904, it's our largest silver coin issued for circulation, it was made at 5 different US Mint locations across the country .. it seems to have something for everyone. But it didn't start out all roses .. when introduced in 1878 it caught everyone's attention for the wrong reasons ....

2 Different Coins .. and a Variety Error .. Not bad for Year #1

When a new coin is released into circulation it gets a lot of attention because it's "new". It didn't take long before it was noticed that the number of tail feathers on the eagle were incorrect. Eagles have an odd number of tail feathers .. yet the coin was struck with 8. The Mint investigated the issues .. they looked at the Patterns used for approval and they showed 7 .. but for some unknown reason coins were put into circulation with 8. There were a number of coins pushed into circulation so the mint couldn't effectively recall all the coins ... so they just changed the dies and corrected the problem. So now we have a second 1878 Morgan Dollar .. this one is anatomically correct with 7 Tail Feathers. The unique twist is it only happened with Philadelphia Mint coins ... the San Francisco and Carson City Mints, which also struck the 1st year Morgan, had 7 tail feathers!

So lets make the story even better .... A very unique variety is discovered

I guess the real answer is stuff happens ... but you still have to ask "how" and "why". Years later astute eyes figured out how the mint fixed the tail feathers so quickly ... the 8 Tail Feather dies were corrected by over-punching them with a 7 Tail Feather hub, resulting in a Morgan Dollar with 7 tail feathers struck over 8 Tail Feathers .. the result the 1st Morgan Dollar "error".

Each coin is in Circulated condition and presented in a ANACS display lens.

Share your knowledge of this product with other customers... Be the first to write a review

Browse for more products in the same category as this item:

Dollars > Morgan > 1870's > 1878
Dollars > Morgan > Errors & Varieties
Other U.S. Coins > Errors & Varieties
Dollars > Morgan
Dollars > Morgan > 1870's