1887-S VAM-13

Description

Discovered by C. Logan McKechnie in April 2004, VAM-13 documents a doubled date variety on the 1887-S Morgan Dollar from the San Francisco Mint. Classified under plate designation 13 III29 C3a, the variety features Obverse III29 with doubling on the 18 in the date: the digit 1 is doubled at the top, while the first 8 shows slight surface doubling at the top inside of the upper loop and bottom outside of the lower loop. The reverse is classified as C3a. San Francisco Morgan Dollars from 1887 are valued for their strong strikes and attractive surfaces, and a documented doubled date variety enhances appeal for specialists who pursue VAM attributions. The doubling requires careful examination under magnification, as the secondary image on the 1 is confined to the top and the displacement on the first 8 is described as slight. VAM collecting provides a systematic framework for cataloging die marriages throughout Morgan Dollar production, and McKechnie's 2004 discovery adds another entry to the San Francisco die pairing record.

External References