1883-S VAM-3

Description

Originally discovered by Martin Field in October 1978 and revised in 2010, the 1883-S VAM-3 Morgan Dollar carries the classification III2 2 · C3a (Doubled 18-3) with die pairing number 186. The obverse (III2 2) exhibits doubled date digits at multiple specific locations: the 1 is doubled at the top left of the upper crossbar, appearing as two notches at the bottom of the upper crossbar and at the top right of the vertical shaft; the left 8 is doubled on the left inside of the upper loop; and the 3 is doubled at the bottom left inside of the lower loop. This pattern of selective doubling — affecting three of the four date digits at different points on each numeral — documents a hub displacement that was neither purely rotational nor purely lateral, but rather a complex angular shift that manifested differently across the date's horizontal span. The reverse (C3a) features a Type IV S mintmark set slightly to the right and upright, a positioning detail that helps distinguish this die from other 1883-S reverse dies in the VAM catalog. George T. Morgan's design was struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1883, composed of 90% silver and 10% copper, weighing 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter and a reeded edge. The San Francisco Mint's 1883-S Morgan Dollar had a mintage of approximately 6.25 million pieces. Field's discovery of this variety in 1978 places it among the early generation of VAM attributions that helped establish the Van Allen-Madison classification system as the definitive reference for Morgan Dollar die varieties, and the 2010 revision reflects the ongoing refinement of the catalog as subsequent researchers contribute additional observations.

External References