1887-P VAM-6A

Description

Originally discovered by Leonard Hinckley in February 1974 and revised in 2012, the 1887-P VAM-6A Morgan Dollar carries the classification III2 6 – C3a (Spiked Tail Feather, Low Far Date) with die pairing number 189. The obverse (III2 6) shows the date set lower and further right than the normal position — the "Low Far Date" designation — with a die chip located between the loops of the first 8 on its left side, serving as the primary obverse die marker. The reverse (C3a) features a die gouge extending from the third feather on the eagle's tail, creating the "Spiked Tail Feather" diagnostic that gives this variety its primary name — a raised linear protrusion from the feather tip that is visible under moderate magnification and provides a quick-check attribution point. A community observation notes that a deteriorated reverse die has been found prevalent on this variety, meaning later die states show increasing surface roughness and loss of fine detail on the reverse that accompanies the spiked feather diagnostic. The 1887-P Morgan Dollar was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter during the height of Gilded Age silver dollar production. George T. Morgan's heraldic eagle reverse, with its detailed tail feather rendering, provides the design context for the spiked feather anomaly. The 1887-P had a substantial mintage of approximately 20.3 million pieces, one of the higher figures in the Morgan series. Hinckley's 1974 discovery makes this one of the earlier-documented VAM varieties, predating the formalization of the VAM cataloging system by Van Allen and Mallis that would systematize Morgan Dollar variety collecting for generations of numismatists.

External References