1883-P VAM-11

Description

Discovered by Martin Field in February 1979, the 1883-P Morgan Dollar VAM-11 is classified as III2 11, die pair 188, with a C3a normal reverse die (Doubled 18-3). The obverse displays doubled date digits: the 1 is doubled on the surface at the bottom of the upper crossbar and base, the first 8 is faintly doubled on the lower inside of both loops, and the 3 is faintly doubled at the top inside of the upper loop and at the bottom inside of the lower loop. The faint nature of the 8 and 3 doubling contrasts with the more visible doubling on the 1, creating a gradient of visibility across the date that requires progressively higher magnification to confirm each digit. The normal C3a reverse simplifies attribution by eliminating the need for reverse-side diagnostics, allowing collectors to focus entirely on the date area when searching for this variety.

External References