Last Update: October 1st 2021
99 Morgan Silver Dollars: All originally came from a single bag of 1,000 Uncirculated 1887 silver dollar coins purchased in the early 1960s by my father.
99 of these rare Silver Dollars were embedded within a thick sheet of clear acrylic and used for the "IN" door of the Silver Dollar Market he opened in 1964 at West Plains, MO. Later, this door was removed and has been in storage ever since. My father is pictured here behind his Silver Dollar Door:
50 years later this unique piece of numismatic history should be returned to service, to once again please and bestow Good Luck on everyone who looks or passes through it.
APPROXIMATE DIMENSIONS OF THE 99 SILVER DOLLAR DOOR: Overall: 31 inches (78.7 cm) wide by 76 3/4 inches (195.6 cm) tall Thickness: 7/8 inch (02.2 cm) of acrylic.
A bevel on all outside edges begins on the "Heads" side at 3/4 inch from each outside edge, tapering down to a 1/4 inch thick flange running all around on the "Tails" side. This assists in secure mounting. Weight is approximately 100 pounds (45 kilos).
Click the images to see more detail:
The 99 Silver Dollar Door has three groupings of coins with "ranks" of seven and six coins. It works out like this:
8 x 7 = 56
7 x 6 = 42
1 x 1 = 1
56 + 42 + 1 = 99The clarity of the optical grade acrylic in which the 99 coins are embedded is demonstrated by the tan carpeting (where the 99 Silver Dollar Door is resting) showing through in all these shots.
The orange sticker on the far right of this photo is on the outside surface, on the "Tails" side of the door at bottom.
The "IN" sticker is on the outside surface and therefore removable (somehow). The surface has some superficial scuffs and scratches consistent with its provenance as a working supermarket door.
There is a 1/4" mounting flange running around all the edges (shown in the photo as a gray area). This helps in securing a flush mount for safe and proper display - very important as the door weighs up to 100 pounds.
Here's a closer look at the mounting flange provided on each edge.
This the Opening Day Brochure that my dad had printed back in 1964. I believe the building is now being used by Brown's Furniture at 405 Jefferson. Click here for the West Plains, MO discussion forum.I have started my own thread on the forum at this link. If you have any memories of working or shopping at the Silver Dollar Market I hope you will leave a comment on the forum.
The Brochure also spoke much of West Plains history and where the 99 silver dollars originated. Much information about Morgan Silver Dollars is available on-line, such as in this Wikipedia page.
Use of this unique collection as a door is only one of the possibilities. Others include
Museum Bar Top Senior Class Gift Wild West Display Literature Display Table Coin Dealer Traffic Builder Las Vegas Slot machine Icon Bank or other Financial institution I have argued with myself at length whether being encased in optical grade acrylic makes these 99 coins worth more or less than 99 "loose" silver dollars of the same design and vintage. Only the winner of this auction will know where to place the true value.
After inflation and taxes take their toll, you are "earning" a negative return on your Cash, Savings, CDs, and Bonds. The real value (net) of these infirm assets is constantly decreasing at 2-3% per year. You know it's true!
Some things to consider with your investment in this Silver Dollar Door:
Of the richest fabric of American History! Safe for 'hands-on' public presentation! Virtually indestructible! Almost impossible to steal! Stunning to view and comprehend! Suitable for full 360 degree walk-around display! An absolutely one-of-a-kind collection! Said to bestow Good Luck on everyone who looks through it! Definitely a "Safe Parking Zone" for a small portion of your your Cash, Savings, CDs, Bonds, etc. Silver bullion is currently (early June 2014) trading at about $19 per ounce. Each of the Uncirculated 1887 Morgan Silver Dollars in this Silver Dollar Door contains 3/4 ounce of pure silver.
Antique age (125+ years), uniform pristine condition, and unique presentation suggests a Collectors Value beyond that of mere bullion. Suggested Opening Bid for the 99 Silver Dollar Door is $2,500.00 - where-is and as-is.
What better time than now to acquire this one-of-a-kind celebration of the days when America was the first and last frontier of bravery and freedom?
Google for 1887 Morgan Silver Dollar and you will find lots of pricing information, like cointrackers.com, and iccoin.com. Or, try coinstudy.com for even more information.
The Morgan Silver Dollar, as contained in the 99 SILVER DOLLAR DOOR:
Produced from 1878 to 1904 and, after a break in production, resumed again in 1921. The Morgan Silver Dollar is very popular with a real collectors market for the pre 1921 uncirculated or mint condition issues. The post 1921 are also popular but are more common and do not command the high prices of earlier issues.
The coin was named after it's designer, George T Morgan. George T Morgan was born in Birmingham, England and came to the US to work in 1876, getting a job as a junior engraver in that year. Morgan designed a number of coins but will always be remembered for the Morgan Silver Dollar The fine print:
I reserve the right to end this offering at anytime as the 99 Silver Dollar Door is being advertised for sale elsewhere. Deposit of 25% of the winning bid via PayPal within 48 hours of auction close. Sale is final, as-is, where-is, and with no return. Sale will be cancelled and your Deposit will be refunded in full if the article fails to pass your personal inspection at time of pickup. Balance Due In Full On Delivery IN CASH OR PAY PAL only. Pickup (no shipping) in North Eastern Colorado must be within 14 days of winning bid. Item is uncrated. U-Pack, U-Ship, or U-Haul. Contact me here: dan at dansher dot com
