1897-O VAM-8

Description

Discovered by Michael Ash in January 2006, the 1897-O VAM-8 Morgan Dollar is designated as a Doubled 1 variety, cataloged as 8 III2 4 - C3a. The obverse exhibits a slightly doubled 1 at the lower edge of the top crossbar of the numeral — a subtle hub doubling that affected only the first digit of the date, with the secondary impression visible as an extra line or thickness at the crossbar's lower boundary. This highly localized doubling on a single digit indicates the hub displacement was oriented to produce its maximum offset precisely at the 1's position on the die face, while all other date digits and design elements remained below the visibility threshold. Obverse die markers include a small diagonal die scratch between two upper cotton leaves in the wreath around Liberty's head. The reverse is classified C3a with its own distinctive die marker: diagonal die scratches at the lower inside of the eagle's left wing, providing a reliable secondary confirmation point for attribution. The Morgan Dollar was designed by George T. Morgan, struck at the New Orleans Mint in 90% silver composition, weighing 26.73 grams at 38.1 mm diameter. The 1897-O had a mintage of approximately 4.004 million pieces, making it a better-date issue within the Morgan Dollar series. New Orleans Mint Morgan Dollars of this period are noted for their sometimes soft strike quality compared to Philadelphia production, which can complicate variety attribution by obscuring fine details. The doubled 1 at the lower crossbar edge is best examined under 10x magnification with strong lighting, and the diagonal die scratch between the upper cotton leaves serves as the fastest pick-up point for initial identification of this specific obverse die.

External References