1879-P VAM-21

Description

Discovered by Martin Field in February 1979, this Philadelphia Morgan dollar is cataloged as VAM-21 (revised) under classification III2 21 with a C3f reverse, titled Doubled Date and Wreaths, carrying a rarity rating of 179. The obverse exhibits slight hub doubling across all four date digits: the 1 at the lower right side of the vertical shaft and bottom and right side of the lower crossbar, the 8 at the left inside and lower right outside of the lower loop, the 7 across the very top and right side of the vertical shaft, and the 9 at the left outside of both loops. The reverse C3f die extends the doubling beyond the date, showing the lower right wreath and left wreath slightly doubled toward the rim, along with the middle and lower arrowheads slightly doubled at the bottom. This dual-sided doubling from a single hub misalignment makes VAM-21 one of the few 1879 Philadelphia varieties where both obverse and reverse carry diagnostically useful doubling. The date doubling is subtle and best confirmed by examining the 1 and 8 under moderate magnification.

External References