A Guide Book of Morgan Silver Dollars, 6th Edition

Book excerpt: In the sixth edition of A Guide Book of Morgan Silver Dollars, Q. David Bowers offers an engaging portrait of the country's most popular classic coin. You'll learn what to look for when you buy, how to grade your coins, how to cherrypick varieties, and ways to become a smarter collector. The pricing, text, and certified population data have been edited and updated. "The world of collecting Morgan dollars is full of the kind of historical intrigue that makes up any legend," said professional numismatist Adam Crum in his foreword, "with roots reaching deep into the mines of the Comstock Lode and into the minds of numismatic scholars and collectors alike." The sixth edition includes a history of the silver dollar dating back to the 1790s, and chapters on the Morgan dollar's design, its minting process, the five mints that struck the coin from 1878 to 1921, and Treasury hoards and other accumulations. Collectors benefit from advice on ways to collect Morgan dollars; grading and the marketp