1881-S VAM-31

Description

Discovered by Leroy Van Allen in January 1980 — co-creator of the VAM classification system itself — the 1881-S VAM-31 Morgan Dollar carries the classification III2 17 - C3a (Doubled 18) with die pairing number 185. The obverse (III2 17) presents subtle but diagnostically important date doubling: the first 1 is doubled on the surface of the right side of the shaft, and the first 8 is doubled faintly on the right inside and lower right outside of the bottom loop. An additional die chip in the upper loop of the first 8 at the 11 o'clock position provides a readily locatable marker that aids in quick field identification when examining potential specimens. The reverse (C3a) is classified as a normal die with no significant anomalies, concentrating the variety's diagnostic interest entirely on the obverse date doubling and die chip. Van Allen's discovery of this variety in 1980 came during the period when he and A. George Mallis were building the comprehensive catalog that would become the definitive reference for Morgan Dollar die varieties, and his personal identification of this die marriage reflects the meticulous examination process that produced the VAM system. The Morgan Dollar was struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1881 in 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter. The 1881-S had an enormous mintage of approximately 12.8 million pieces, many of which survived in uncirculated condition due to prolonged Treasury vault storage, making this date one of the most available Morgan Dollars in mint state grades. George T. Morgan's design features Liberty in a Phrygian cap on the obverse and a heraldic eagle on the reverse, and the subtle date doubling requires careful examination under 10x magnification with angled lighting.

External References