1879-P VAM-1G1

Description

Discovered in June 2022 by Mark Witkower, the 1879-P Morgan Dollar VAM-1G1 is classified as III2 1 C3a and documented as sharing the same obverse die as VAM-1F, establishing a die linkage that connects these two varieties through their common obverse die marriage. The reverse C3a die displays numerous die lines scattered over the eagle, with a strong line crossing the top of the right leg, multiple short lines in the upper tail feathers, and a distinctive pair of squiggly lines just inside the middle of the left leg. These die lines — residual impressions from die polishing, lashing, or refinishing operations — serve as fingerprints unique to this reverse die, enabling collectors to distinguish VAM-1G1 from the many other 1879-P die marriages documented in the VAM census. The 1879-P Morgan Dollar was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 90% silver at 26.73 grams and 38.1 mm diameter, with George T. Morgan's Liberty portrait facing left on the obverse and the heraldic eagle with spread wings and arrows clutched in its talons on the reverse. The 1879-P had a mintage of 14,806,000 pieces, making it a readily available date for variety collecting. The shared obverse with VAM-1F means collectors can potentially find both varieties by identifying the common obverse die characteristics first, then examining the reverse for the specific line patterns that separate the 1G1 reverse from its counterpart.

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