1888-O VAM-19

Description

Jeff Oxman, one of the most prolific contributors to the VAM cataloging system, discovered this Morgan Dollar variety in December 1997. The 1888-O VAM-19 is classified as Doubled Stars with the technical designation III213 - C3a. The obverse die (III213) shows all left stars and stars 4 through 6 on the right slightly doubled at the top surface toward the rim — a hub doubling pattern that affects multiple star devices simultaneously, indicating a slight shift in the hub-to-die relationship during the hubbing process. The stars on Morgan Dollars encircle Liberty's portrait, with seven on the left and six on the right, and the doubling on VAM-19 affects the entire left group plus three right stars, suggesting the hub shifted in a direction that primarily impacted the left and upper portions of the die. Star doubling on Morgan Dollars is one of the more subtle VAM diagnostics because the stars are small devices and the doubling manifests as slight thickening at the rim-facing edge. The reverse is classified as C3a, indicating a standard die pairing. The New Orleans Mint struck approximately 12.15 million Morgan Dollars in 1888, the same year and mint responsible for the famous VAM-4 "Hot Lips" strongly doubled die — one of the most dramatic and valuable Morgan Dollar varieties. While VAM-19's star doubling is far more subtle than the Hot Lips variety, it documents another instance of hub misalignment during 1888-O die preparation. Oxman's extensive contributions to VAM research have been instrumental in expanding the catalog, and his December 1997 discovery of this variety exemplifies the meticulous die examination that drives the field forward.

External References