1888-O VAM-1

Description

Serving as the baseline reference for the 1888-O Morgan Dollar die census, VAM-1 represents the "Normal Die" classification — the standard die pairing against which all other 1888-O VAM numbers are compared. The obverse conforms to the standard III2 type without doubled digits, repunched dates, or positional anomalies. The reverse carries a normal C3 type die with a centered, circular, medium-size III O mint mark featuring a narrow slit, positioned upright beneath the eagle — the expected New Orleans configuration without tilts, shifts, or repunching that distinguish other varieties. Plated as 1 III2 1 - C3a, the designation occupies die pair 1 within both obverse and reverse classification systems. New Orleans produced 12.15 million Morgan Dollars in 1888, a solid mid-range mintage keeping the date accessible across most grade levels. Every date-mint combination in the Morgan Dollar series requires a VAM-1 entry to establish the normal-die baseline — without it, identifying deviations on other die pairings would lack a standard of comparison. The "Round O" descriptor confirms the mint mark's circular shape, distinct from micro or oval O variants on other New Orleans issues.

External References