1897-S VAM-11

Description

Discovered by Martin Field in July 1982, the 1897-S VAM-11 "Doubled 1-9" Morgan dollar documents hub doubling on the first and fourth digits of the date — the numeral 1 showing doubling below the upper crossbar, and the 9 doubled at the top inside of the upper loop. Cataloged as III2 7 C3a, this variety pairs an Obverse III2 7 die with a standard C3a reverse, and the diagnostic focuses on two specific date numerals where the secondary hub impression is most clearly visible. San Francisco struck approximately 5.83 million Morgan dollars in 1897, a relatively modest production figure that makes the date modestly scarce in higher grades. George T. Morgan's obverse places the date at the lower right below Liberty's neck truncation, where the individually punched numerals reside in an area susceptible to both hub doubling during die preparation and post-strike wear during circulation. The doubling description is precise: the numeral 1 shows a secondary impression below the upper crossbar — the short horizontal stroke at the top of the 1 — while the 9 displays doubling at the top inside of its upper loop, indicating the secondary hub impression displaced these specific digit components from their primary positions. Martin Field's July 1982 discovery contributed to the expanding VAM catalog during a period of intense Morgan dollar research that characterized the late 1970s and 1980s. Collectors should examine the 1 and 9 of the date under 15-20x magnification, using angled lighting to reveal the secondary contour lines — the crossbar doubling on the 1 and the upper loop doubling on the 9 — while being careful to distinguish hub doubling from machine doubling or die deterioration effects that can mimic genuine doubled die characteristics.

External References