1884-CC VAM-3

Description

Discovered by George Mallis in June 1965 and revised in 2003, this Carson City Morgan dollar is cataloged as VAM-3 under the revised classification III2 3 with a C3a reverse, bearing the formal title Doubled 188 Left. The obverse doubling is concentrated in the date: the 1 is doubled below its top crossbar and to the left of its bottom crossbar, die chips appear at the inside right of the top and bottom loops of the first 8, and the first 8 is slightly doubled on the right outside of its upper loop. The second 8 shows slight doubling at the top inside of its bottom loop. Beyond the date, slight doubling also affects the nose, lips, chin, and back of the Phrygian cap. As a notable historical detail, the 1884-CC branch mint proofs were struck using these same dies, connecting this variety to one of the most coveted categories in Morgan dollar collecting. Carson City varieties identified by George Mallis in the 1960s represent some of the earliest documented VAM attributions, and the doubled date elements on this die are clear enough to confirm under moderate magnification.

External References