1886-O VAM-7
Error
Description
Designated a Hot 50 Morgan VAM — placing it among the fifty most sought-after varieties in the entire Morgan Dollar series — VAM-7 on the 1886 New Orleans issue features an O/O Down repunched mintmark discovered by Leroy Van Allen in May 1967. The Hot 50 designation reflects sustained collector demand driven by visual appeal, historical significance, and scarcity. Classified as 7 III2 1 C3d, the reverse shows the O mintmark repunched downward, with the original impression visible as two arcs at the bottom of the letter. A polishing line through TY of LIBERTY on the obverse provides an additional die marker for attribution. Van Allen's 1967 discovery makes this one of the earliest documented VAM varieties for the date, identified during the foundational period when Van Allen and Mallis were building the classification system that would encompass thousands of Morgan and Peace Dollar varieties. The 1886-O Morgan Dollar is a better date in the series with a mintage of 10,710,000, and Hot 50 status elevates specimens carrying this variety into premium collector territory.
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