1886 Morgan Dollar - VAM-1H

Description

Laurence Galbraith identified this variety in May 2005, cataloging a vertical die scratch running through the middle of the eagle's right wing near the inner feathers on the reverse of an 1886 Philadelphia Mint Morgan Dollar. Under the Van Allen-Mallis system, VAM-1H is designated III21 paired with reverse C3a and carries a Rarity Scale of 189. The obverse die carries an additional diagnostic: a heavy gouge within the letter I in LIBERTY, which helps confirm the correct die marriage even when the reverse die scratch is difficult to see due to wear or toning. The "1H" designation — using the numeral 1 followed by a letter suffix — indicates this is a sub-variety within the VAM-1 family, meaning it shares core die characteristics with the base VAM-1 pairing but was distinguished by the presence of the wing die scratch that developed during die use. Die scratches like the one on VAM-1H develop during production as foreign material or die maintenance tools leave incidental marks on the die surface, and each scratch creates a raised line on every coin subsequently struck from that die, providing a reliable diagnostic for variety attribution.

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