1896-P VAM-26

Description

This Philadelphia Morgan Dollar is cataloged as VAM-26, classified III2 24, C3a (Possible 9 in Denticles) (191). The obverse shows what may be the top of a 9 appearing in the denticles as a raised curved bar positioned well back in the denticle space below the 9 in the date, though the evidence is described as not conclusive. A horizontal die scratch in the grain details of the wreath provides an additional obverse die marker. The reverse is a normal C3a die. Misplaced date digits in the denticle row occur when a digit punch inadvertently strikes too deep or at the wrong angle, leaving a partial impression in the border area. The "possible" and "not conclusive" qualifiers in the official VAM description reflect the attribution community's commitment to intellectual honesty. Rather than asserting certainty where the evidence is ambiguous, the catalogers documented what they observed while flagging the uncertainty. Collectors examining specimens should look for the curved raised element in the denticles below the 9 and form their own assessment.

External References