1881 Morgan Dollar - VAM-37

Description

Discovered in November 2025 by Ted Sudderth, the 1881 Philadelphia Morgan Dollar VAM-37 is classified as 37 III2 37 - C3g and designated "Doubled 8, Right Reverse." On the obverse, the first 8 in the date is doubled at the right inside and bottom right outside of the lower loop, producing a visible secondary outline that confirms the hub doubling event. Die markers on the obverse include chips in Liberty's ear and a short scratch in the upper right part of the Y in LIBERTY, both serving as reliable diagnostics for authenticating this die pair. On the reverse, classified as C3g, the right wreath and bottom insides of AMERICA are doubled slightly toward the rim, extending the doubling evidence to both sides of the coin. The Philadelphia Mint struck the majority of 1881 Morgan Dollars, and the large production volume provided ample opportunity for die varieties to enter circulation. As a relatively recent discovery, VAM-37 demonstrates that the Morgan Dollar VAM catalog continues to expand as researchers examine surviving populations with modern tools and systematically document previously unrecognized die pairs.

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