Morgan Dollars, Spoons, a Snuff Box and a Claret Jug

This month I want to keep adding items to my Etsy store BUT without buying a lot and it’s been a fun challenge! I’m continuing to dig in drawers and cupboards and looking critically at things I own. I’m asking myself two basic questions: Do I still want this? Would I miss it?

I’ve surprised myself at what I’m parting with–like these two silver Morgan dollars that were given to me by two great aunts when I was born. My mother passed them along to me in my early teens when she thought I’d appreciate them and not lose them! I’ve kept them all these years in a drawer in a silk pouch. Think of it–for decades in a drawer, almost never looked at. Time to let them go.

But knowing nothing about coins I knew I had to acquire at least some basic numismatics knowledge. Uncirculated coins are obviously the most desirable, but amongst those circulated there are many, many grading levels. As I started my research I found a gold mine of a site: coinagemag.com with a page devoted to “How To Grade Morgan Dollars: A Visual Guide.” Perfect!!

Here are a few screenshots from that site of the grades, but by all means not all, just the lower ones.

According to this information, my 1889 and 1890 coins likely fall into the extremely fine category, but as I’m not going to have these professionally graded I cannot claim that. Also important is the where the coin was minted. One of mine was minted in San Francisco (as indicated by an S on the back) and the other had no mint mark indicating it was made in Philadelphia, the most common. The most rare mint mark is CC for Carson City, Nevada.

I found another site J.M. Buillon which provided a handy valuation table for each year and mint location. So helpful! And of course I looked at other sellers’ prices, pretty much all over the place.

In the end after several hours of research, I listed both for $38 each on eBay.

I also decided to let go of this little sterling silver snuff box by Frank Whiting. I’ve owned this 11 years and have enjoyed it, but these last few years it’s been in a drawer so time to find it a new home. Snuff boxes are highly collectible and this fine example in sterling silver shouldn’t take long to sell.

My first thrift store purchase of the month (and my only so far) was an intriguing claret jug in cut crystal with a silver plate mount featuring Bacchus, the God of wine. It could be as old as the Victorian/Edwardian eras (late 1890s to early 1900s) when these were popular, but I’m not convinced. I would expect more wear and the cut crystal shape and design seems atypical for those periods. So I’m dating it more conservatively at 60 to 90 years. Still it’s a handsome thing and would work great as a vase too.

On the spoon front, four of my antique sterling silver souvenir spoons sold recently so that’s encouraged me to let go of a few more in my personal collection. Though honestly I know they are not an on-trend item and it just may be a fluke that this many sold. Time will tell!! These latest listings are all circa late 1800s.