1890-O Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

Cataloged by the Wexler Team as 1890-O $1 WDDO-001 and cross-referenced as VAM 20, this Morgan Dollar represents a doubled die obverse variety discovered in 1997 that has proven exceptionally difficult to locate, with the Wexler commentary noting it is "exceptionally rare in high grades." The late discovery date — more than a century after the coins were struck — combined with the confirmed difficulty in locating specimens establishes this as one of the more elusive Morgan Dollar doubled die varieties in the Wexler catalog. The hub misalignment during the die manufacturing process created visible doubling on obverse design elements, though the specific spread pattern and affected elements are documented in the full Wexler attribution records. No detailed die markers beyond the VAM 20 cross-reference are provided in the current attribution summary. The Morgan Dollar was designed by George T. Morgan and struck at the New Orleans Mint in 1890 in 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter. The 1890-O had a mintage of approximately 10.7 million pieces, a moderate figure that makes the date itself reasonably available in lower grades while the doubled die variety remains difficult to find at any grade level. The exceptional rarity in high grades noted in the commentary suggests that the few known specimens tend to exhibit circulation wear, which can further obscure the doubling features and complicate field attribution. The VAM 20 designation connects this Wexler-cataloged variety to the Van Allen–Madison reference system, providing a dual-attribution pathway that links the DDO specialists’ and VAM collectors’ documentation of the same die variety.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Therese Dumm (Photos by Frank M. Zapushek) Cross References: VAM 20 Comments: Only being discovered in 1997, this variety has proven difficult to locate. It is exceptionally rare in high grades.
• VAM 20 Comments: Only being discovered in 1997, this variety has proven difficult to locate. It is exceptionally rare in high grades.; Wexler Variety ID: 1890-O $1 WDDO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References