1881-P VAM-27

Description

Cataloged as the twenty-seventh distinct die pairing for the 1881 Philadelphia Morgan Dollar, VAM-27 occupies a mid-range position in the Van Allen-Mallis system for this prolific date. The catalog number reflects decades of research by VAM specialists examining the output of the Philadelphia Mint's substantial 1881 production of 9,163,975 silver dollars — a healthy mintage requiring numerous working die pairs and generating diverse opportunities for die-specific characteristics. Each VAM number represents a unique combination of obverse and reverse dies, distinguished by diagnostic features such as die scratches, polishing lines, clash marks, or positional differences in design elements. George T. Morgan's silver dollar design — Liberty wearing a Phrygian cap with cotton and wheat on the obverse, and a heraldic eagle with olive branch and arrows on the reverse — was struck in 90% silver at 26.73 grams on 38.1mm planchets. For collectors pursuing 1881-P die varieties, VAM-27 represents one of many cataloged pairings that transform a common-date Morgan Dollar into a specialized pursuit in die identification and attribution.

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