1881-S VAM-8A

Description

Credited to Bill Fivaz with a discovery date of February 1973, VAM-8A of the 1881-S Morgan Dollar is classified as 8A III2 1 · C3d and features an S/S Right repunched mintmark. The reverse reveals the original mintmark position through a vertical bar visible to the right of the top serif, with the loop of the mint mark appearing filled. This reverse die also served in the VAM-82 die marriage, providing a useful cross-reference. The obverse presents a rich constellation of die markers centered on the date digits: the first 8 displays a short die chip inside the upper loop at the 11 o'clock position, the second 8 carries chips in its lower loop, and a distinctive spiked die chip protrudes from the top left outside of the second 8. An important attribution note concerns the so-called ear on the second 8 — this feature is not consistently present across all specimens, and it does not appear on coins struck when this obverse die was paired with VAM-1A. The San Francisco Mint's massive 1881 output of over 12 million Morgan Dollars ensured ample die usage, creating numerous repunched mintmark varieties for collectors to pursue. =1881-S VAM-8A S/S Right= Discovered by Bill Fivaz, February 1973. VAM 8/8A seems to be a earlier die state of the reverse die.

External References