1887-P VAM-4

Description

Among the earliest cataloged varieties for the 1887 Philadelphia Morgan Dollar, VAM-4 was discovered by Bill Fivaz in April 1973 and documents a near date position combined with doubled 18-7 digits. The date sits closer to the rim than normal, and the digits 18 and 7 carry secondary impressions from hub displacement — notably, the middle digit 8 does not show equivalent doubling, indicating the hub shift affected outer digits more than the center. In early die state, a vertical spike appears above the left serif, providing an additional attribution point for EDS specimens. The near date placement serves as a preliminary sorting criterion before examining the finer doubled digits under magnification. Fivaz's 1973 discovery places this among the foundational VAM entries documented during the earliest systematic Morgan Dollar variety research. Philadelphia struck 20,290,000 Morgan Dollars in 1887, and the low number — four — reflects how early this variety was identified relative to dozens of subsequently cataloged entries for the date. ''Die marker-'' Tiny die chip at left center of cotton leaf to right of cotton bolls. ''Die marker''- Tiny die chip inside nostril. # The reverse die is prone to strike doubling.

External References