1882-O VAM-29B

Description

Positioned deep within the VAM census for the 1882-O Morgan dollar, VAM-29B attests to the remarkable thoroughness with which New Orleans Mint production has been scrutinized by die variety specialists over decades of systematic research. The "B" suffix indicates a die state progression from the base VAM-29, documenting additional characteristics — typically progressive die cracks, clash marks, or polishing lines — that developed as the die pair continued in service after the initial VAM-29 documentation. George T. Morgan designed the silver dollar in 1878, and his initials appear entwined in Liberty's hair on the obverse and as an M on the reverse ribbon. The New Orleans Mint produced approximately 6.09 million Morgan dollars in 1882, a moderate output that generated enough die pairs to yield a substantial variety catalog but few enough that individual die pairs saw extensive use, increasing the likelihood of progressive die state changes. The Van Allen-Mallis system has cataloged Morgan dollar varieties since Leroy Van Allen and A. George Mallis published their foundational reference work, establishing the standardized numbering and die characteristic notation that the collecting community continues to expand. Varieties numbered in the upper twenties for a single date-mint indicate that at least twenty-nine distinct die combinations have been documented, each identified by specific obverse and reverse characteristics visible under magnification. New Orleans Morgan dollars are identified by the O mintmark positioned between the D and O of DOLLAR on the reverse.

External References