1891-P VAM-9

Description

Bill Van Note's November 1999 discovery of VAM-9 for the 1891 Morgan Dollar revealed a doubled ear variety, one of the most visually striking features a collector can find on a Morgan Dollar. The obverse shows slight doubling on the right inside and the very bottom outside of Liberty's ear, producing a shadowed or shelf-like effect diagnostic under magnification. Doubled ear varieties command special attention because the ear is a prominent, easily located design element that does not require searching through fine lettering or date numerals. The doubling results from a misaligned hub impression during die manufacture, where a slight shift between impressions left a ghost of the ear offset from its final position. Philadelphia's 1891 production was substantial, and hub-doubling events were an inherent risk of the multi-impression hubbing process used throughout the Morgan era. Cataloged as plate 9 III2 9 C3a (189), this variety is identified by its obverse feature alone, with the reverse presenting a normal C3a die. Struck in 90% silver and 10% copper at 26.73 grams, this Philadelphia issue offers variety collectors a visually satisfying attribution target. =1891-P VAM-9 Doubled Ear Inside= Discovered by Bill Van Note, November 1999.

External References