1881-P VAM-5

Description

Identified by Leroy Van Allen in June 1966, VAM-5 documents a doubled date variety on the 1881 Morgan Dollar struck at Philadelphia. The die pair is classified as 5 III2 5 with a C3a reverse, carrying die pair identification number 180. The obverse die reveals the first 8 in the date doubled at the right inside of the upper loop — a subtle but definitive displacement where the secondary impression creates a thickened inner wall on the right side of the numeral's upper curve. The reverse bears the C3a classification, indicating a normal die. Philadelphia served as the primary Morgan Dollar facility, and its 1881 output reflected the continued mandatory silver coinage under the Bland-Allison Act. Van Allen's discovery during the foundational years of the VAM catalog places this variety among the earliest documented Morgan Dollar die marriages. The doubled date feature, while confined to a single digit, provides a clear diagnostic distinguishing VAM-5 from other 1881 Philadelphia die pairs. Collectors find this type of variety satisfying to authenticate once the correct viewing angle is established. =1881-P VAM-5 Doubled 8= Discovered by Leroy Van Allen, June 1966.

External References