1884-O VAM-7

Description

Discovered by Sylvia Johnson in April 1966 and revised by Ray Castro in December 2012, this 1884-O Morgan dollar is designated VAM-7 (revised) with classification III2 4 and a C3d reverse under the title O/O Tilted Left, Far Date. The obverse die carries the date set further right than normal, establishing the far date characteristic. On the reverse, a Type II O mintmark has been repunched with the original impression showing diagonally within the opening of the final O, creating the O/O tilted left attribution. Additionally, the right wreath is doubled on its outside edge, and TATES OF AMERICA shows doubling at the bottom inside of the letters. A long faint diagonal die gouge crosses the middle of the inner feathers on the eagle's right wing, and slight polished beveling appears in the field at the eagle's left leg. The combination of a repunched mintmark and doubled reverse lettering gives this variety two distinct attribution features on a single reverse die. Johnson's 1966 discovery places VAM-7 among the earlier documented New Orleans Morgan dollar varieties, predating the formal VAM cataloging system by several years.

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