1893-CC VAM-3

Description

Bearing the coveted Carson City mintmark, the 1893-CC VAM-3 — nicknamed "Doubled 3, Alligator Eye" — was discovered by Leonard Hinckley in February 1974 and carries the VAM classification 3 III22 C3a. The obverse diagnostics include a doubled 3 visible at the top outside of the digit, along with a die chip lodged between the loops on the right side of the 3. The "Alligator Eye" nickname derives from slight doubling at the front of Liberty's eye, which creates an elongated, reptilian appearance under magnification. The 1893-CC is among the most sought-after dates in the Morgan Dollar series, with a mintage of just 677,000 coins — the lowest regular-issue production from the Carson City Mint's final year of Morgan Dollar coinage. Carson City, Nevada, operated from 1870 to 1893, processing Comstock Lode silver into coins that today rank among the most collectible mintmarks in American numismatics. A die variety on this low-mintage Carson City date carries particular significance, as the small production run means fewer total die pairs were used and fewer examples of any given variety survive. Documented in the VAM reference and attributed under its catalog designation.

External References