1882-O VAM-29

Description

Discovered by Jim Baxter in January 1979, VAM-29 on the 1882-O Morgan Dollar is classified as III2 20-C3a with the descriptor "Doubled Date" and die pair number 181. The obverse die state III2 20 reveals comprehensive date doubling: the 1 is doubled at the top right of the shaft, the first 8 is doubled at the top inside of the lower loop, the second 8 is doubled at the left outside of both loops, and the 2 is doubled at the top right outside of the upper loop. This four-digit doubling pattern, where each numeral shows displacement at different specific contact points, indicates a single hub offset event that affected all four date digits but manifested at slightly different angular positions on each numeral due to their varying distances and orientations relative to the hub displacement vector. Jim Baxter's 1979 discovery places this among the earlier documented VAM varieties for the 1882-O date, predating the systematic VAM cataloging expansion of the 1980s and 1990s. A note from the Silver Dollar Certification (SSDC) registry as of February 8, 2023 indicates that none had been registered, suggesting either extreme rarity or simply that collectors have not submitted examples for SSDC certification. The 1882-O Morgan Dollar was struck at the New Orleans Mint in 90% silver (26.73 grams, 38.1 mm). George T. Morgan's Liberty Head design positions the date below Liberty's neck where hub-doubled digits are most effectively examined under 10x magnification with side lighting to reveal the secondary impressions.

External References