1896-O VAM-10
Error
Description
Discovered by Leonard Hinckley in February 1974, the 1896-O VAM-10 is classified as 10 (revised) III26 - C3a (181) in the Van Allen-Mallis reference. This variety exhibits a doubled 1 in the date and, more distinctively, a doubled profile visible on Liberty's nose, lips, and chin. Profile doubling on Morgan dollars is among the most visually striking forms of obverse hub doubling, as the secondary contour of the facial features can be detected with a loupe against the high-relief portrait. The numeral 1 shows doubling slightly below the upper crossbar. The New Orleans mint produced 4,510,000 Morgan dollars in 1896, a moderate output that makes the O-mint issue generally available but still desirable in higher grades. Hinckley's 1974 discovery places this among the earlier VAM attributions, predating the widespread adoption of VAM collecting that accelerated in the 1980s and 1990s. The combination of date and profile doubling makes VAM-10 one of the more diagnostically rich varieties for the 1896-O issue.
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