1879-S Rev. of ’78 (PAF) & Rev. of ’79 (SAF) Morgan Silver Dollar Pair Extra Fine

Product Description

In the spirit of waste not, want not, the San Francisco Mint used a handful of leftover 1878 reverse dies to strike its 1879 Morgans. The result? Two distinct subtypes for the date, although these went largely unnoticed by collectors until the 1960s. Of the 9.1 million San Fran Morgans output that year, experts postulate that only 500,000 or so could have been attributed to the Reverse of '78 before the massive melts that took place under the Pittman Act.

We've corralled a small number of rare, 1879-S Reverse of '78 (also referred to as the second reverse) Morgan dollars in lightly circulated Extra Fine condition. Very few of these flat-breasted, parallel arrow feather varieties are known to exist (especially in high-end mint-state grades) and thus command a premium in any condition. To date, PCGS and NGC combined have certified just five MS-66 specimens!

No collection is complete without the other type struck that year – the more affordable, 1879-S Reverse of '79 (or third reverse). This variety carries the reverse engraving that became standard for the series featuring a plump, round-breasted eagle and slanted arrow feathers.