1881-S VAM-12

Description

The 1881-S VAM-12, discovered by Guy Messing in January 1975, is a Morgan dollar variety struck at the San Francisco Mint and classified as S/S Surface under the VAM designation III2 1 - C3e (184). The Morgan dollar, designed by George T. Morgan in 1878, was struck in 90% silver and 10% copper, weighing 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter and a reeded edge. San Francisco produced 12,760,000 Morgan dollars in 1881, making the 1881-S one of the more common dates in the series, though specific die varieties can still carry a significant premium among VAM collectors. On the obverse, die chips are visible in both digits of the 8's in the date, serving as useful die markers for variety attribution. The reverse displays what was initially described as a repunched mintmark with surface doubling on the right side of the upper serif and lower loop of the S. However, VAMWorld commentary notes that the so-called surface doubling on the S mintmark is actually strike doubling rather than a listable form of die variety doubling. This distinction is important for collectors, as strike doubling (also called machine doubling or mechanical doubling) results from the coin shifting slightly during the striking process and is generally considered less significant than true hub doubling or repunched mintmarks. The obverse die state classification of III2 1 indicates moderate die wear, while the C3e reverse designation reflects specific characteristics of this particular reverse die pairing. The San Francisco Mint was known for generally producing higher-quality strikes on Morgan dollars compared to the New Orleans facility, and this variety offers an interesting case study in distinguishing true die varieties from striking artifacts.

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