1878 Morgan Dollar - Reverse of 1878 - VAM-119

Description

The 1878-P VAM-119, cataloged under the Reverse of 1878 die type, was discovered by Leroy Van Allen — the "V" in the Van Allen-Mallis classification system — in December 1965. The obverse shows LIBERTY slightly doubled to the left and upward, and the E in the motto is doubled. This die shares its obverse with VAM-161; the distinguishing characteristic between the two is that VAM-119 retains an intact R in TRUST while VAM-161 does not. The Reverse of 1878 is identified by its parallel top arrow feather and the eagle's breast feathers consistent with the 1878 hub, distinct from the Reverse of 1879 which introduced a slanted top arrow feather and revised feather details. In 1878, dates were part of the master die, so no variation in date position exists between individual working dies of the same hub. The 90% silver Morgan Dollar resumed Philadelphia Mint production in 1878 after a hiatus, and the first-year 1878 issues are distinguished by their multiple reverse hub types. VAM-119 is an early attribution by the co-founder of the classification system itself.

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