1883-P VAM-8

Description

Maurice Dubreuil identified this Philadelphia Mint Morgan dollar variety in April 1978, receiving the VAM-8 designation under classification III2 8 with a C3a reverse die (die marriage 180). The obverse carries doubling on three of the four date digits: the 1 shows doubling on the left side of its upper serif and base, the first 8 displays doubling at the top inside of its lower loop, and the 3 is doubled on the right side of its upper serif. Only the second 8 escapes visible doubling, creating an asymmetric pattern across the date that serves as a distinctive diagnostic. The reverse is cataloged as a normal die with no notable features beyond standard design elements, directing all attribution attention to the obverse. Dubreuil's discovery in 1978 places this among the early wave of VAM attributions that built the foundation of the Morgan dollar variety catalog during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The 1883 Philadelphia Morgan dollar had a mintage of 12.291 million pieces. Examining the date digits requires magnification of at least 10x, and the best diagnostic approach begins with the first 8's upper-loop doubling, which tends to be the most visually apparent of the three affected digits, before confirming on the 1's serif and the 3's upper curve.

External References