1878-P VAM-34A

Description

The 1878-P Morgan Dollar VAM-34A — struck on the Reverse of 1879 — carries the designation 4TF, Clashed Obverse t and is honored as a Hot 50 Morgan Dollar VAM, one of the fifty most significant Morgan Dollar varieties recognized by the VAM community. Discovered by Jeff Oxman in September 2004, this variety is identified by a clashed die showing a faint partial incuse impression of the t from "Trust" in the reverse motto, transferred to the obverse die during a clashing strike. The Hot 50 designation reflects the variety's combination of historical interest and collector demand. The 1878-P Morgan Dollar with the Reverse of 1879 is a transitional issue struck during the Mint's shift from the original eight-tail-feather reverse to the refined 1879 reverse style; this VAM's 4TF designation confirms it was struck with a four-tail-feather reverse of the 1879 pattern. Extremely rare as a clashed example on this die pairing, VAM-34A demands careful obverse examination for the faint t impression to confirm attribution. The 90% silver Morgan Dollar was first struck in 1878, with 1921 dates incorporated into the master die.

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