1880-O VAM-9

Description

Discovered by Leroy Van Allen in June 1966, VAM-9 is one of the earliest documented die varieties for the 1880-O Morgan Dollar from the New Orleans Mint. This variety belongs to die pair 9, classified as III2 6 with a C3a reverse, carrying die pair identification number 176. The defining characteristic is a boldly doubled zero — the final digit of the 1880 date — showing strong doubling at the top right and left outside and on the lower left of the opening. This doubling indicates the working die received multiple hub impressions with slight misalignment, producing a secondary image plainly visible without magnification on well-preserved specimens. The reverse die is designated C3a, a normal die without significant distinguishing features. New Orleans Mint Morgan Dollars from the early 1880s occupy a distinctive niche, as the facility's production quality sometimes differed from Philadelphia and San Francisco standards. Van Allen's own discovery of this variety — co-creator of the VAM classification system — lends it additional significance.

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