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August 27, 2025My Hands Went Cold When 45 Rare Morgans Flooded the Market – Here’s How I Saved My Investment
Scrolling through the auction listings that Tuesday morning, I nearly dropped my coffee mug. 45 MS 1889-CC Morgan Silver Dollars – all hitting the market at once. As someone who’s poured my savings into rare coins, my mind raced. This wasn’t just another sale. This could wipe out years of careful collecting.
Let me show you what I did over those next three sleepless nights – how I protected my Morgan dollars when experts predicted a 20% market crash. No jargon, just real collector-to-collector tactics that saved my portfolio.
Why 1889-CC Morgans Nearly Broke the Market
The Discovery That Stunned Collectors
Finding one MS 1889-CC Morgan is like spotting a unicorn. But 45? Heritage Auctions might as well have dropped a bomb. Here’s why seasoned collectors panicked:
- Fewer than 10 mint-state examples surface most years
- Essential for completing prestigious registry sets
- My own collection held seven – nearly a quarter of my net worth
Suddenly, the coins I’d hunted for decades risked becoming “just another silver dollar.” I grabbed my loupe and got to work.
My Emergency Response Checklist
- Tracked the coins’ origin: Page 157 of the catalog revealed they came from original Nevada bank rolls – the real deal
- Crunch the numbers: My auction database showed only 32 comparable sales in the past decade
- Face my exposure: Those seven CC Morgans? They represented 22% of my entire collection’s value
My 4-Part Survival Plan
Hour Zero: Damage Control
First 24 hours looked like this:
- Rushed my raw coins to PCGS for grading (no more “maybe MS63” guesses)
- Sorted coins into “must-keep” and “could-sell” piles
- Spotted three coins most vulnerable to price drops
The Art of Strategic Selling
While other collectors dumped coins, I played chess:
- Sent mid-grade coins to smaller auctions (away from the Heritage frenzy)
- Got CAC stickers on my premium pieces – like armor against price drops
- Yanked listings for my rare VAM varieties to create artificial scarcity
My Secret Bidding Strategy
Here’s exactly what I bid on when the hammer fell:
| Grade | Last Sale Price | My Max Bid | Why I Wanted It |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS62 | $22K | $16.5K | Quick resale to dealers |
| MS63 | $35K | $26K | To complete my registry set |
| DMPL | $45K+ | $32K | Long-term hold |
Whispers in the Coin Community
My late-night calls with dealers revealed:
- Asian collectors had pre-bought a third of the hoard
- Top registry set competitors were teaming up on bids
- Silver’s $20/oz price put a floor under the melt value
How the Market Actually Reacted
Surprising Auction Outcomes
The doom predictions were wrong:
- MS62 coins dipped to $19,200 (still above my buy targets)
- MS63s barely budged at $33,750
- DMPLs shocked everyone by jumping 14% to $51,300
Turns out, hungry collectors absorbed the supply faster than anyone predicted.
My Personal Win-Loss Column
By sticking to my plan:
- Sold two MS62s early to avoid the worst price drops
- Snagged three MS63 upgrades at bargain prices
- Shot from #17 to #9 in the national registry rankings
5 Brutal Truths I Learned
- Rarity alone doesn’t protect value – collector demand must back it up
- CAC stickers saved my premium coins from the price crash
- Time your exits – I spread sales over 18 months to avoid flooding the market
- Dealer relationships matter – my contacts tipped me off about bidding alliances
- Chaos creates opportunity – turned a potential $7,200 loss into $14,500 profit
The Collector’s Crisis Playbook
When rare coins flood the market:
- Confirm where the coins came from
- Calculate your personal risk
- Sort your collection by vulnerability
- Buy strategically when others panic
- Watch the market ripple effects
That scary week taught me more about coin investing than twenty peaceful years. While my heart still races remembering those auction results, I sleep well knowing my Morgan dollars are safer today. Sometimes, the best protection comes from being ready when others aren’t.
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