1881-O VAM-15

Description

Discovered by Martin Field in October 1978, the 1881-O VAM-15 Morgan Dollar is classified as III2 7 / C3a (Doubled 1) with die pairing number 176. The obverse (III2 7) presents the second 1 in 1881 doubled slightly at the top left of the upper crossbar and as a notch on the lower right side of the vertical shaft — two separate areas of displacement on the same digit that together define the direction and magnitude of the hub shift. An additional feature includes a spike in the upper loop of the first 8 at the top left, an anomaly that may represent either a minor hub doubling artifact or a die chip formation. The reverse (C3a) is classified as a normal die. Community notes provide valuable die-sharing context: this obverse die is shared with both the 1881-O VAM-15 and the 1881-O VAM-41, meaning at least two different reverse dies were paired with this doubled obverse during production. Additionally, the reverse die of VAM-15 is shared with the 1881-O VAM-71, though the striking sequence between these two has not yet been determined — a research question that could be resolved by comparing die state progression across both varieties. George T. Morgan's design was struck at the New Orleans Mint in 1881, composed of 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter. The die-sharing network connecting VAM-15, VAM-41, and VAM-71 through common obverse and reverse dies demonstrates the interconnected nature of Morgan Dollar die marriages and the detective work required to reconstruct production sequences.

External References