Morgan Dollars (PL)
Proof-like Morgan dollars, commonly shorthanded as PL Morgans, are business-strike examples that exhibit mirrored fields somewhat resembling those of proof coins. In other words, these are not proof coins, and the US Mint made no extra effort to strike proof-like Morgan dollars with reflective surfaces. The proof-like effect is caused by the use of either new dies or older dies that were recently polished.
The distinction between a PL Morgan dollar and a non-PL generally involves the magnitude of surface reflectivity. Generally speaking, if a business-strike Morgan dollar exhibits mirror-like fields, it qualifies as PL. This can be tested by looking for the reflection of an object, such as a pencil, on the surface of the coin.
If the item can be clearly seen in the fields at a distance of between four and six inches, and the devices are not heavily frosted, the coin may qualify for the PL descriptor. Should the test item be clearly reflected in the fields at a distance of greater than six inches from the surface, the coin might qualify for a deep mirror proof-like (DMPL) designation.
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