1887-O VAM-11.3

Description

Third Weth Die sub-variety within the VAM-11 family for the 1887-O Morgan dollar, VAM-11.3 shares the defining "Near Date" characteristic discovered by Leroy Van Allen in June 1977 while documenting a distinct die pairing within this die marriage sequence. Cataloged as 11 III2 11.3 · C3a (Near Date) with a 181-degree die alignment, this variety features an Obverse III2 11.3 die — the third documented obverse die within the VAM-11 normal die classification — paired with a standard C3a reverse. The "Near Date" designation indicates the date sits further left than the standard position on George T. Morgan's obverse, bringing the numerals closer to Liberty's portrait bust than normal die entries exhibit. New Orleans struck approximately 11.55 million Morgan dollars in 1887, generating extensive die usage that has produced a deep VAM catalog for the date. The Weth Die numbering system (decimal notation: 11.1, 11.2, 11.3) extends the original VAM framework by documenting individual die pairings within a single VAM number, tracking each distinct die that shares the diagnostic characteristics defining the parent variety. VAM-11.3 represents the third confirmed obverse die sharing the near date position, each presumably prepared by the same hand or using the same date punch positioning technique that produced the leftward date characteristic. The 181-degree die alignment indicates a slight rotation between obverse and reverse dies. Emission sequence data and Die Pair Identification System (DPIS) entries remain undocumented, leaving the precise production chronology of this die pair as an unresolved research question. Collectors comparing VAM-11.1, 11.2, and 11.3 should focus on secondary die characteristics — die scratches, polishing lines, and minor die defects — that distinguish individual obverse dies sharing the near date diagnostic, using at least 10-15x magnification to compare the date position against reference images for each sub-variety.

External References