1879-O VAM-22

Description

Discovered by Martin Field in September 1980, VAM-22 on the 1879-O Morgan dollar is cataloged as 22 III2 15 - C3a (Doubled 8-9), die pair 176. The obverse die shows both the 8 and 9 in the date doubled from hub displacement: the 8 is doubled slightly at the top outside of the upper loop, while the 9 is doubled on the left outside of both loops. This differential doubling pattern — different spread directions on adjacent digits — indicates the hub shifted at an angle that affected each numeral's geometry differently, with the 9 receiving more pronounced doubling across both its loops compared to the subtler displacement on the 8. The reverse is classified C3a with an oval medium mintmark, centered and upright, described as a normal die without distinctive reverse characteristics. The New Orleans Mint struck approximately 2.89 million Morgan dollars in 1879, making it a moderately low-mintage date within the O-mint Morgan production run. Martin Field's September 1980 discovery places this among the earlier VAM catalogings for this date, meaning it has been studied and collected for over four decades. For attribution, the 9 serves as the stronger pickup point because both loops show doubling, providing two areas to examine rather than the single upper loop on the 8. The die pair number 176 positions this within the broader framework of 1879-O die marriages tracked by VAM researchers.

External References