1882-O VAM-23A

Description

Discovered by Laurence Galbraith in June 2003, the 1882-O VAM-23A Morgan Dollar carries the classification 23A III215 · C3k (Doubled 18, O Set and Tilted Left, Clashed Obverse n and s) with die pairing number 181. This variety is notable for combining three distinct die anomalies: obverse date doubling, a mintmark position variant, and evidence of a die clash event. The obverse (III215) displays a clashed die with a faint partial incuse “n” from the reverse’s IN transferred onto the area next to Liberty’s head neck, and a partial incuse “s” from the reverse’s TRUST appearing in the right hair vee of the lower hair edge — these transferred letters are remnants of a die clash where the obverse and reverse dies struck each other without a planchet, impressing portions of each die’s design into the opposing die face in mirror-image incuse form. The “Doubled 18” component indicates doubling on the digits 1 and 8 in the date. The reverse (C3k) features the O mintmark set to the left of normal position and tilted to the left, a hand-punched variation unique to this specific reverse working die from the New Orleans Mint. George T. Morgan’s design was struck at the New Orleans Mint in 1882 in 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter. The 1882-O had a mintage of approximately 6.1 million pieces. The combination of date doubling, clash evidence, and mintmark deviation on this single die marriage provides collectors with multiple independent attribution checkpoints: the doubled 18, the incuse clash letters at the neck and hair, and the leftward-set and tilted O mintmark each serve as diagnostic confirmations.

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