1887-O VAM-9A

Description

Displaying doubled date digits, a possible misplaced date element, and dramatic die rust effects, the 1887-O New Orleans Mint Morgan Dollar VAM-9A is classified as III2 9 - C3a with a rarity of 181. The obverse shows doubling on the tops of the 1 and 7, along with a possible top of the 7 visible in the denticles below the primary date position — a misplaced date variety where a preliminary punch left a partial impression. A pitted left L in DOLLAR on the reverse indicates die deterioration from corrosion. Most distinctively, a rusted die produced a vertical band of raised dots extending from the left L in DOLLAR upward into the wreath, where the pitted die surface transferred its corroded texture onto every coin struck. Die rust creates raised features because the corroded pits in the die become cavities that fill with metal during striking. The New Orleans Mint, operating in the humid Gulf Coast climate, was particularly susceptible to die rust issues. This combination of doubled digits, possible misplaced date, letter pitting, and a vertical rust band makes VAM-9A one of the more diagnostically rich varieties in the 1887-O catalog.

External References