1890-P VAM-23

Description

Discovered by Mark Kimpton in April 2003, this Philadelphia Morgan dollar is cataloged as VAM-23 under classification III2 22 with a C3a reverse, titled Doubled Profile, carrying a rarity rating of 190. The obverse shows very slight hub doubling on the profile at the nose, lips, and chin, with the bottom of the earlobe also very slightly doubled. The date sits in normal position. As the VAMWorld commentary candidly acknowledges, the profile doubling on this variety is subtle to the point of frustrating attribution attempts. Leroy Van Allen himself examined and confirmed the same specimen on multiple submissions over a period of years, consistently affirming the VAM-23 designation despite the minimal visible displacement. The C3a reverse is a standard die with no distinguishing features. Collectors attempting to attribute this variety should compare specimens side by side against a known undoubled 1890-P Morgan, focusing on the nose tip and upper lip where the secondary profile contour is most apparent. The 190 rarity rating reflects both the scarcity of the die pair and the difficulty of recognizing the subtle doubling.

External References