1882-S VAM-36A

Description

Discovered in 2019 by the collector known as "CascadeChris" Simpson, the 1882-S VAM-36A Morgan Dollar carries the classification III2 24 - C3k with die pairing number 186, designated "Doubled Date & Cap Top, Engraved Leaf, Concave Obverse." The obverse (III2 24) was die-polished to the point where the field near the rim became slightly concave — a depression in the die face caused by aggressive lapping that removed more metal from the outer field than from the center, producing a corresponding convex raised zone near the rim on struck coins. This concavity is noted as less severe than the related 1882-S VAM-37, which experienced even more aggressive polishing, establishing a comparative scale of die maintenance intensity between the two varieties. The doubled date and cap top components document hubbing anomalies on the date digits and the top of Liberty's Phrygian cap. The reverse (C3k) was also polished but shows only a slightly concave profile at the rim near the 11 o'clock position, with an engraved leaf that was hand-cut into the die to repair or modify a wreath leaf detail. Hand engraving on working dies is a distinctive form of die modification that produces unique line characteristics differing from the smoother, more regular forms created by hubbing, making engraved elements reliable attribution markers. The Morgan Dollar was designed by George T. Morgan and struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1882 from 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter. The San Francisco Mint's high production standards and substantial 1882-S mintage of approximately 9.25 million pieces generated a diverse population of die states and varieties. The concave field phenomenon documented on both VAM-36A and VAM-37 illustrates the tangible physical consequences of die maintenance — evidence that the mint workers' intervention left permanent, measurable alterations in the die geometry.

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