1879 (S) Morgan Dollar - VAM-31

Description

Martin Field documented this San Francisco Morgan dollar variety in August 1979, classifying it as III2 16 with a C3j reverse under the designation Doubled 879, S Set Left. The obverse die shows clear doubling across three date digits: the 8 is tripled at the bottom right outside of the lower loop, the 7 is doubled slightly below the crossbar, and the 9 is doubled at the left outside of the upper loop. This concentration of doubling across multiple digits makes the date area the primary screening zone. The reverse carries a medium size IV S mint mark set to the left and upright. A cataloging note requests that anyone possessing or encountering the original discovery piece submit it to ANACS or VSS for photographic documentation and to verify it is not a duplicate of another variety, possibly VAM-36. This request underscores the ongoing nature of VAM research, where original discovery specimens remain critical for confirming attributions decades after initial listing. The tripled 8 is the most dramatic date element and serves as the fastest visual diagnostic for this variety. =1879-S VAM-31 Doubled 879, S Set Left= Discovered by Martin Field, August 1979.

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