1883-P VAM-1.2

Description

Illustrating the sub-variety numbering system within the Van Allen-Mallis catalog, the 1883-P VAM-1.2 is the second decimal sub-variant of the baseline VAM-1 die pairing. The decimal notation distinguishes minor die variants from the numbered VAM sequence: where VAM-1, VAM-2, VAM-3 represent entirely different die pairings, VAM-1.2, VAM-1.6, and VAM-1.7 document minor variations within the same baseline die combination — typically subtle differences such as polishing lines, small die scratches, or minor positional shifts that do not warrant a full new catalog number but are sufficiently distinct to merit documentation. The 1883 Philadelphia Morgan Dollar was struck with a mintage of 12,290,000 pieces in 90% silver at 26.73 grams on 38.1mm planchets. George T. Morgan's design had been in production for five years by 1883, and the Philadelphia Mint's extensive die usage generated multiple documentable variants at the sub-variety level. For collectors building a comprehensive 1883-P VAM set, the decimal sub-varieties represent the finest granularity of die study, capturing variations too subtle for whole-number catalog entries but too distinct to ignore.

External References