1891-P VAM-16A

Description

Discovered in 2014, the 1891-P VAM-16A carries the classification 16A III2 14 C3a, designated Doubled Ear, Cotton Leaf, and Profile with Clashed Obverse n, and an uncertain emission sequence denoted by a question mark. The obverse die, cataloged as Class III2 14, is a clashed die that retains a partial incuse letter n from the word In on the reverse, visible next to Liberty's neck. Die clashing occurs when the obverse and reverse dies strike each other without a planchet between them, transferring design elements from one die to the other in incuse form. What makes this variety especially noteworthy is the evidence of five separate clashes of the eagle's wing visible at the top of Liberty's neck, indicating this die pair collided multiple times before or during its production run. Beyond the clash evidence, the variety exhibits doubling on Liberty's ear, a cotton leaf, and the profile, combining doubled die characteristics with clash damage on a single working die. Philadelphia Mint Morgan dollars from 1891 saw moderate production, and the layered complexity of multiple clash impressions alongside hub doubling makes the VAM-16A a particularly rich subject for die study.

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