1888-P VAM-1F

Description

Discovered by Pete Hohnstein in 2013, the 1888-P VAM-1F Morgan Dollar carries the classification III2 1 – C3a (Clashed Obverse n) and documents a die clash event where the lowercase n from the reverse inscription "In" was transferred to the obverse die during an unintended die-to-die impact without an intervening planchet. The transferred n appears as a faint incuse mark next to Liberty's neck on the obverse — the position where the reverse n sits when the two dies meet face to face. The date occupies a middle lateral position within the normal range, and the obverse die markers include a couple of light polishing lines running between the right wheat leaf and the top cotton leaf in Liberty's hair wreath, along with a tiny raised chip to the right of the lower cotton leaf. These polishing lines were introduced during die maintenance procedures at the Philadelphia Mint, where dies were periodically hand-polished to remove accumulated contact marks or to partially erase clash marks that had developed during production. The Morgan Dollar, designed by George T. Morgan, was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1888 in 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter and a reeded edge. The 1888-P had a mintage of approximately 12.2 million pieces. Die clash varieties on Morgan Dollars are actively collected because the series' high-relief design elements — particularly the prominent lettering and detailed portrait — produce clearly recognizable transferred impressions that can be identified under moderate magnification. The faint n beside Liberty's neck is best observed under 5x to 7x magnification with oblique lighting that enhances the shallow incuse impression against the surrounding field.

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