1888-O VAM-17

Description

Ranked among the Top 100 Morgan Dollar VAM varieties — a distinction reserved for the most significant and collectible die varieties in the entire series — this 1888 New Orleans issue was discovered by Jeff Oxman in January 1988 and designated "Near Date, Oval O." Classified as VAM-17 III2 11 C3b with emission sequence number 181, the defining obverse characteristic is a date positioned further left than normal, placing the numerals closer to the rim. The reverse carries a C3b designation featuring an oval-shaped mintmark set higher than usual — the O appearing more elliptical than the round punch used for most New Orleans issues, indicating a different mintmark tool was employed. Jeff Oxman was a major figure in Morgan Dollar variety research whose contributions helped build the catalog through the 1980s and 1990s. The "Near Date" and "Oval O" combination creates a variety identifiable through two independent diagnostics — date position on the obverse and mintmark shape on the reverse — making it accessible for attributors. Its Top 100 status ensures strong collector demand and premium pricing above the base value of an 1888-O Morgan Dollar.

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