1878 Morgan Dollar - Reverse of 1879 - VAM-222D

Description

Paired with a Reverse of 1879 die, this Philadelphia Morgan dollar was discovered by Mark Witkower and is cataloged as VAM-222D under classification II 2 with a C3b reverse, titled Cut Down A, Over Polished Lower Hair, Damaged 4th Right Star. The C3b reverse designation places it among dies showing doubled left reverse characteristics. On the obverse, the lower hair edge has been over polished with gaps visible through the metal, and the left point of the fourth right star is almost completely missing from die damage. A diagonal polishing line in the Phrygian cap fold serves as the primary obverse die marker. The reverse carries several fine die chips at the top of the wing-neck gap as its identifying marker. Because 1878 dates were part of the master die, no date position variation exists across the issue. The Reverse of 1879 tail feather arrangement distinguishes this die pairing from the parallel VAM-222D listing under the Reverse of 1878 strike type, making correct reverse identification essential before attribution.

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