1881-P VAM-26A

Description

Documented on November 19, 2013 by Lance Newman through the Las Vegas Association and Online Coin Club, the 1881-P VAM-26A carries die classification III2 26·C3a under the title Doubled Ear and Left 8, Pitted Eagle and Above Arrow Shafts. The variety's obverse exhibits a doubled ear and a doubled left 8 in the date. The reverse provides the most distinctive identification features: raised dots of die rust pitting appear on the eagle's left wing and leg, on the upper tail feathers, and in the field above the arrow shafts — collectively reflecting a period of die surface degradation from rust forming on exposed steel before or during use. These raised rust-pit dots serve as screening markers visible under low magnification. The 1881-P Morgan Dollar was struck at the Philadelphia Mint without a mintmark. VAM-26A is a subvariety within the VAM-26 family, with the A suffix designating a die state or die combination that differs from the parent VAM-26 in documented die characteristics. The rust pitting across the eagle and arrow shaft field gives this variety a distinctive texture signature that distinguishes it from other 1881-P entries in the Van Allen–Mallis catalog.

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