Wikipedia:Peer review/Morgan dollar/archive1

Morgan dollar

This peer review discussion has been closed.
I've listed this article for peer review because I am interested in feedback from more outside editors, especially those who aren't interested in coins to any special extent. Since I like to read about coins, I have to be careful to make sure that anything I write is not overly detailed. The article is currently my first and only GA, of which I am very proud, but I hope to elevate it to FA eventually. Many thanks to all prospective reviewers for your time spent looking over this article!-RHM22 (talk) 03:55, 12 January 2011 (UTC)

Comments from ​​Niagara

• "...4,500,000 ounces of silver..."
  • Is there a suitable metric unit the number can be converted to in addition to ounces? Also, I might mention which ounce specifically (I believe it should be troy ounce because it involves silver).
• Generally, you are allowed to link a word once in the lead and again in the first instance it's used in the body of the article.

Background

• "In 1873, Congress enacted the Fourth Coinage Act. The act effectively ended the bimetallic standard in the United States by demonetizing silver."
  • Combined sentences, also you may want to link "bimetallic standard" to Bimetallism: "In 1873 Congress enacted the Fourth Coinage Act, which effectively ended the bimetallic standard in the United States by demonetizing silver."
• "The act also ended the production of the standard silver dollar, though authorizing trade dollars which were officially demonitized the following year."
  • Moved phrase: "The act also ended the production of the standard silver dollar, which were officially demonitized the following year—though it authorized the use of trade dollars."
• "Protests also came from bankers, manufacturers and farmers."
  • Why?

Design history

• Is it possible to trim some of those really long quotations?

Production

• "Pressure was so great that the Philadelphia Mint halted production of all other coins and began operating overtime."
  • Reworded: "Pressure was so great at the Philadelphia Mint that it halted production of all other coins and began operating overtime."

Sherman Silver Purchase Act

• "In June of 1893, President Grover Cleveland called a special session of Congress. Cleveland, who believed that the Panic of 1893 was caused by the Sherman Silver Purchase Act, called the session in order to repeal it."
  • Redundant; mrged sentences: "In June 1893, President Grover Cleveland, who believed that the Panic of 1893 was caused by the Sherman Silver Purchase Act, called a special session of Congress in order to repeal it."

Pittman Act

• Out of curiousity, why were the silver dollars melted down and new ones minted, instead of keeping the old dollars and selling the silver that would have been used in the new ones?

Treasury release, General Services Administration sales and legacy

• While I know what "1904–S" indicates, other might not; I mention's that it was a dollar from 1904 with a mintmark of S, which indicates it was made at the San Francisco mint (or something to that effect).

Neat article! I have one of those dollars. Shouldn't be too difficult to get an FA, but if you wish, look at Shield nickel for a good model to follow. Consider reviewing an article in the backlog, which is how I found yours. ​​​​​​​​Niagara ​​^{Don't give up the ship} 04:54, 17 January 2011 (UTC)

Thanks for the praise and the excellent review! I believe I've addressed all of your concerns, except for the trade dollar suggestion. I can't add that sentence, as it's not technically correct. The trade dollars were demonetized shortly after authorization, but standard dollars never were. To answer your question about the Pittman Act, I don't actually know for sure. My guess would be that there was probably not enough bullion on hand to satisfy the demand of the British, so coins had to be melted down. It could have also had something to do with silver miners, who decided that they could get more for their silver from the Mint if they had to be coined into dollars than if they sent it to the British. This is just speculation, though. Thanks again for the great review!-RHM22 (talk) 14:45, 17 January 2011 (UTC)

By the way, the provision about minting a replacement for every dollar melted was definitely a result of mining interests. The country had absolutely no need or desire for silver dollars, so no one would have noticed if the melted ones weren't replaced. The silver interests were huge back then.-RHM22 (talk) 14:49, 17 January 2011 (UTC)

Regarding the trade dollars, if I'm misinterpreting what is being said then others will too. How I read the sentence is essentially "The act also ended the production of the standard silver dollar... ...which were officially demonitized the following year." and that the phrase "though authorizing trade dollars" (because it was surrounded by commas) could thus be ommitted. I'd try to make it clearer that while trade dollars were authorized, they were the ones demonitized. How about this: "The act also ended the production of the standard silver dollar, but authorized the use of trade dollars—although those were officially demonitized the following year." ​​​​​​​​Niagara ​​^{Don't give up the ship} 20:30, 17 January 2011 (UTC)

I'm glad you mentioned that sentence, because I actually had the fact wrong! I don't know how I made such a huge error, but trade dollars weren't actually demonetized until 1876. I fixed it now, so it should be ok. I reworded it too. A mistake like that could have caused a lot of confusion later.-RHM22 (talk) 21:51, 17 January 2011 (UTC)

Glad to help. It reads much better now. ​​​​​​​​Niagara ​​^{Don't give up the ship} 18:36, 18 January 2011 (UTC)