1880-O VAM-28

Description

Discovered by Martin Field in September 1979, the 1880-O VAM-28 is cataloged as die pair III2 21 / C3g with the descriptive title "Doubled 188, High O Set Right." The obverse carries tripled diagnostic features across three date digits: the 1 is doubled slightly at the top left, the first 8 is doubled at the left inside of the upper loop and the right outside of the lower loop, and the second 8 is doubled at the lower left outside of the upper loop. This combination of doubling across three consecutive digits demonstrates that the entire date logotype received a secondary impression during die preparation, producing a consistent but variably visible displacement pattern. The reverse is classified as C3g, distinguished by a small mintmark of the Roman numeral I type with the O set high and to the right — a positioning variant that reflects the manual placement of the O mintmark punch at the New Orleans Mint. Morgan dollars from New Orleans carry particular collector appeal due to the facility's colorful history and the distinctive striking characteristics often attributed to its equipment and workforce. Struck in 90% silver and 10% copper at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter, the 1880-O had a business strike mintage of approximately 5.3 million pieces. The combination of obverse date doubling and a distinctive mintmark position makes VAM-28 a variety that can be identified from either side of the coin, a dual-attribution advantage that simplifies cherrypicking from dealer inventories and auction lots.

External References