Numismatic News Author Brothers Presents Morgan Dollar Research on YouTube
Beloved by collectors today, the Morgan dollar was once derided as an artistic failure—a legacy explored in a recent ANS Long Table lecture by Eric Brothers.
Eric Brothers, a regular contributor to Numismatic News, recently made a video presentation on the Morgan Dollar. He has been a member of the American Numismatic Society (ANS) since 2023 and made his presentation as part of the ANS’s Long Table series of lectures. His talk can be found on YouTube under the title, “Long Table 247. The Morgan Dollar: An Artistic Failure.” This presentation is adapted from his article in Numismatic News, “'Pelican Bat of the Wilderness': Creation and Reception of the Morgan Dollar” (September 9, 2025).
The Morgan dollar is arguably the most popular collectible United States coin. However, the artistry of this silver dollar was severely criticized upon its 1878 debut. This criticism continued well into the 20th century. Drawing on primary sources, Brothers discusses the critical reception of the Morgan dollar. Among the criticisms Morgan’s dollar received was published in the Carson City Morning Appeal (April 17, 1878): “Great disgust was expressed at the general appearance of the [design]. All that has been said as to the wretched workmanship of the Philadelphia dollar will be equally true of the Carson dollar …. The [reverse design] represents the same wide, flat, pelican-bat of the wilderness ….”
