1879-P VAM-1

Description

George Mallis first cataloged this die marriage in 1965, establishing VAM-1 for the 1879 Philadelphia Mint Morgan Dollar under classification III2 1 - C3a. The obverse features a closed 9 in the date, where the tail of the numeral curves inward to nearly close the counter. However, an important catalog note accompanies this designation: the basis for VAM-1 (the Closed 9 characteristic) is considered obsolete, as every coin displaying a closed 9 will also fit another, more thorough listing that classifies the die by additional diagnostic criteria. This means VAM-1 should effectively be absorbed into other VAM numbers that share the closed 9 feature but are differentiated by more specific die markers. The obsolete status does not invalidate specimens attributed to VAM-1, but collectors should be aware that more precise attributions likely exist for their coins. The 1879 Philadelphia Morgan Dollar saw substantial mintage during the early years of the series mandated by the Bland-Allison Act of 1878, and this die marriage represents one of the earliest cataloged varieties for the date. =1879-P VAM-1 Closed 9= Discovered by George Mallis, June 1965.

External References