1891-P VAM-12

Description

Discovered by George Powell in April 2006, the 1891-P VAM-12 Morgan Dollar carries the classification III23 · C3b (Far Date, Doubled Wreaths) with die pairing number 190. The obverse (III2 3) features a date positioned further right than the normal placement with a slight slant, arranged so that the second numeral 1 sits higher than the first 1 — a characteristic date punch positioning that reflects the manual process of individually punching date digits into each working die at the Philadelphia Mint. The reverse (C3b) exhibits slight doubling across multiple wreath elements: the top three leaf clusters in the left wreath, the lower three leaf clusters in the right wreath, and the left inside of the wreath bow all show secondary images displaced from the primary design. This multi-point wreath doubling originated during the hubbing process, where the reverse die received two hub impressions that did not perfectly align, creating doubled images most visible on the wreath's fine botanical details. The wreath on the Morgan Dollar reverse consists of cotton bolls on the left and wheat ears on the right, bound at the base by a decorative bow — representing the agricultural foundations of American commerce in both the North and South. The Morgan Dollar was designed by George T. Morgan and struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1891 in 90% silver composition, weighing 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter and reeded edge. The 1891-P had a mintage of approximately 8.7 million pieces. The combination of abnormal date positioning with doubled wreath elements provides two independent attribution categories — mechanical (date punch placement) and hubbing (wreath doubling) — creating a variety with diagnostic interest from multiple perspectives within the VAM classification system.

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