1890-P VAM-5

Description

Discovered by George Mallis in July 1964 during the foundational era of Morgan dollar VAM research, the 1890-P VAM-5 "Doubled 1-90" identifies doubling on three of the four date digits on George T. Morgan's silver dollar obverse. Cataloged as 5 III2 5 · C3a (Doubled 1-90), this variety presents the numerals 1, 9, and 0 of 1890 doubled at their tops, with the bottom crossbar of the 1 additionally doubled on its upper surface. The selective doubling pattern — affecting the 1, 9, and 0 while apparently sparing the 8 — provides a distinctive diagnostic that distinguishes this variety from other date-doubled 1890 VAMs. Date doubling on Morgan dollars can result from either hub doubling (misalignment between successive hub impressions during die manufacture) or repunched date elements (where individual numeral punches were struck into the die more than once with slight positional shifts). The top-of-digit concentration suggests a vertical displacement component where the secondary impression landed slightly above the primary. George Mallis, alongside Leroy Van Allen, created the classification system that bears their combined initials, and his July 1964 discoveries across multiple dates reflect the intensive research effort that produced the foundational VAM catalog. Philadelphia struck approximately 16.74 million Morgan dollars in 1890, a moderate mintage for the series. The DPIS and emission sequence data remain unlisted for this variety, awaiting future documentation. Collectors should examine the tops of the 1, 9, and 0 digits under 10-15x magnification, looking for secondary impressions above the primary numeral contours, and check the bottom crossbar of the 1 for the additional upper-edge doubling that provides a particularly clear diagnostic point.

External References