1881-O VAM-23

Description

The 1881-O VAM-23 Morgan Dollar, designated "Doubled Profile, O Set Left," was discovered by Martin Field in July 1982. Classified as III2 17 - C3l with a die pairing number of 176, this New Orleans Mint silver dollar weighs 26.73 grams, measures 38.1 mm in diameter, and is composed of 90% silver and 10% copper. The obverse (die state III2 17) features a distinctive die chip: the first 8 in the date carries a short die chip at the top left inside of the upper loop, a diagnostic that helps collectors confirm they are examining the correct die pair. The reverse (die state C3l) shows a Type II O mintmark that is centered, upright, and set to the left of its normal position, a placement variation resulting from the mintmark punch being applied slightly off-center during die preparation at the New Orleans facility. Additionally, the eagle's right wing is over-polished on some specimens, indicating the Mint attempted to extend the die's service life through polishing, which inadvertently removed fine feather detail. The "Doubled Profile" designation refers to doubling visible on Liberty's profile, a feature that makes this variety particularly appealing to collectors who appreciate obverse-focused varieties. The 1881-O Morgan Dollar had a mintage of approximately 5.7 million pieces, a moderate production figure for the New Orleans Mint. VAM collecting, named after Leroy Van Allen and A. George Mallis who pioneered the systematic cataloging of Morgan Dollar die varieties, remains one of the most popular specialty areas in American numismatics.

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