1887-O VAM-3

Description

One of the celebrated Top 100 Morgan VAMs, this 1887 New Orleans Dollar is the famous "7/6" overdate, discovered by Bob Reithe in February 1973 and classified as 3 III2 3 - C3a (181). The obverse die (III2 3) shows the 7 repunched over a 6 — the bottom loop of the underlying 6 appears as a long curved line starting from the lower right bottom of the stem of 7 and extending upward almost half the digit height. On the left side of the stem, a short spike curves left and then upward at a point roughly one-third the way up the stem height. Whether this is a true overdate or errant date punch has been debated, but its Top 100 designation reflects its enduring importance among Morgan Dollar varieties. The reverse die (C3a) shows a depression in the eagle's breast on some specimens, attributed to weak strike rather than a die anomaly. The 1887-O is a key date in the Morgan series due to its lower mintage, and the VAM-3 overdate commands significant premiums across all grades, making it one of the most widely sought Morgan die varieties.

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