1885-S VAM-4

Description

Discovered by Leonard Hinckley in February 1974, the 1885-S Morgan Dollar VAM-4 is classified as III2 4 - C3a and distinguished primarily by doubled digits in the date — specifically the 1 and the 8. The 1 shows doubling slightly below the upper crossbar and on both the left and right sides of the lower crossbar, while the first 8 is doubled strongly on the left outside of the upper loop and the lower left outside of the lower loop. Date doubling on Morgan Dollars is diagnostically valuable because the date numerals were punched into working dies using individual logotype punches during the 1870s through 1880s, and any misalignment between the initial impression and a corrective second punch leaves characteristic doubled traces that vary in direction and intensity across the affected digits. George T. Morgan's design features Liberty facing left wearing a Phrygian cap with wheat ears and cotton bolls on the obverse, with a heraldic eagle on the reverse. The 1885-S was struck at the San Francisco Mint in 90% silver at 26.73 grams and 38.1 mm diameter, with a business strike mintage of 1,497,000 pieces — a relatively low production figure that makes this date somewhat scarce in higher grades. The strong doubling on the first 8's loops makes VAM-4 one of the more visually accessible doubled date varieties in the Morgan Dollar series, identifiable under moderate magnification without specialized equipment.

External References