1881-P VAM-22

Description

First documented in 2010, the 1881-P VAM-22 is a doubled-date variety on the Philadelphia Mint Morgan Dollar. Its catalog entry reads 22 III2 22 with classification C3a (Doubled 18), die pair 180, placing the doubling on the first two digits of the date. The 1 shows slight doubling at the top right, while the left 8 exhibits doubling at the top outside its upper loop and at the bottom inside both loops — a multi-point spread indicating the hub shifted between impressions during die manufacture. An additional diagnostic appears on the right 8, which carries a spot of extra metal at the lower right inside its lower loop, providing a secondary confirmation point independent of the doubled digits. The C3a reverse classification denotes a normal die, concentrating the variety's identity entirely on the obverse. Hub doubling affecting only the first two digits of a four-digit date is a pattern seen across many Morgan Dollar die marriages, reflecting how numeral positions on the hub create varying displacement depending on distance from the pivot point. The 1881 Philadelphia Morgan Dollar was produced in generous quantities, and this variety rewards careful date examination.

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