1891-S VAM-8

Description

Discovered by Martin Field in June 1981, VAM-8 of the 1891-S Morgan Dollar carries the classification 8 III2 7 C3a and the designation "Doubled Stars." The obverse displays all stars on the left side of the portrait doubled toward the rim — a hub doubling effect where displacement pushes secondary star images outward, creating visible spread most pronounced on stars closest to the rim. This pattern is consistent with a slight rotational or tilting shift during hub impression, affecting peripheral elements more dramatically than the central portrait. An important cataloging note distinguishes this variety from the related VAM-8A: the two varieties do not share either die, meaning they are completely independent die pairings despite sequential VAM numbers. This distinction matters for collectors pursuing complete VAM sets, as it confirms VAM-8 and VAM-8A represent two separate obverse dies and two separate reverse dies rather than a shared-die relationship. The 1891-S Morgan Dollar was produced at San Francisco in substantial quantities, and hub doubling varieties from this date reward careful examination under magnification.

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