1889-O VAM-15

Description

Identified by Brent Fogelberg in November 2000, the 1890-P VAM-15 carries the designation Tripled Ear, documenting a subtle multi-impression effect on Liberty's ear. The lower part of the ear lobe shows slight tripling at the bottom, and the left inside of the ear displays slight doubling — evidence that the obverse hub contacted the die with minor displacement across multiple impressions during die-sinking. Ear tripling is among the more challenging VAM diagnostics to verify because the ear occupies a small area within Liberty's hair and the displacement is slight, requiring careful magnification and favorable lighting to resolve secondary and tertiary impressions against the primary design. The VAM reference reveals that the discovery piece — the original coin Fogelberg used to establish the variety — is actually a VAM-15A specimen rather than a VAM-15, meaning the sub-variety was found before the parent variety was fully defined. The 1890 Morgan Dollar was struck at New Orleans in the standard 90% silver, 10% copper composition. Fogelberg's identification of the tripled ear added a subtle but cataloged diagnostic to the 1890-P variety record. =1889-O VAM-15 Doubled 88, Tripled 9= Discovered by Leroy Van Allen, July 1978.

External References