1887-P VAM-14C

Description

Bearing the compound designation VAM-14C, this 1887 Philadelphia Morgan dollar sub-variety — titled "Near Date, Pinned Eagle, Die Gouge D" — adds a reverse die gouge diagnostic to the well-known VAM-14 die marriage characteristics. Cataloged as 14C III2 14 · C3a (Near Date, Pinned Eagle, Die Gouge D) with die pair number 190, the reverse C3a die displays a small die gouge between the eagle's left wing and body plus a short wide gouge inside the letter D in DOLLAR. George T. Morgan's heraldic eagle reverse positions the spread-winged eagle grasping arrows and an olive branch, with DOLLAR arcing below — a layout where die gouges within the D letterform are readily detectable against the smooth interior of the letter's bowl. The "Pinned Eagle" designation refers to a distinctive die characteristic where the eagle appears to have a small raised dot or pin-like feature on or near its body, likely originating from a depression in the die surface. Philadelphia struck approximately 20.29 million Morgan dollars in 1887, a moderate mintage that generated substantial die consumption and a correspondingly deep VAM catalog. The near date positioning indicates the date numerals sit closer to the bust truncation than typical, a diagnostic established by the parent VAM-14 classification. The C suffix indicates this is the third sub-variety branching from the VAM-14 die marriage, with each sub-variety distinguished by progressive die state characteristics or newly identified die features. Collectors should examine the interior of the D in DOLLAR under 15-20x magnification for the short wide gouge, then check the junction between the eagle's left wing and body for the smaller gouge to confirm the C3a reverse die.

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