1879-O VAM-7

Description

Discovered by Leonard Hinckley in February 1974, this 1879-O Morgan Dollar carries the VAM-7 classification under designation III2 2 / C3e with Rarity-(176), characterized by an O mintmark tilted slightly left on the reverse. The obverse die (III2 2) is a normal die of the III2 type with a distinctive open 9 in the date — a diagnostic detail that helps distinguish this die from others used for the 1879-O issue. The reverse die (C3e) features a centered II O (oval medium) mintmark tilted slightly to the left, a positioning anomaly created when the mintmark punch was applied to the reverse die at a slight angle. During this era, mintmarks were individually punched by hand into each working die, and the angle, depth, and position of each punch varied from die to die. The New Orleans Mint resumed Morgan Dollar production in 1879 after a brief gap, and O-mint varieties from this period document the die preparation practices at a facility known for variable quality control. Leonard Hinckley was among the early VAM researchers who established the foundational catalog entries during the 1970s, when systematic die variety study of Morgan Dollars was still in its formative years.

External References