1888-P VAM-9A

Description

Discovered by John Coxe in June 2006, the 1888-P VAM-9A reveals a clashed obverse die — a condition where the obverse and reverse dies struck each other without a planchet between them, transferring incuse impressions of one die's design onto the other. Cataloged as III27-C3a (High Date, Clashed Obverse st) with the question mark indicating uncertain rarity, the obverse die designated III27 shows faint partial incuse letters "st" from the word TRUST on the reverse, visible in the right hair vee at the lower edge of Liberty's hair. Die clashes occur when the press cycles without a planchet feeding between the dies, causing the hardened steel surfaces to impact directly — the raised design elements of one die emboss themselves into the opposing die's field areas. On Morgan Dollars, where the obverse portrait of Liberty and the reverse eagle with surrounding inscriptions carry considerable relief, clashed die impressions can produce recognizable letter fragments or design outlines transferred from one side to the other. The high date position on this die means the date numerals sit higher than the standard placement. The 1888 Philadelphia Morgan Dollar was struck during the Gilded Age under continued Bland-Allison Act silver purchases, and the discovery of this clash variety in 2006 demonstrates that new VAM varieties continue to surface on well-studied dates decades after the cataloging system was established.

External References