1883-CC VAM-1

Description

Designated as the normal die variety for the 1883-CC Morgan Dollar, VAM-1 carries the die pairing III2 1 with reverse designation C3a and serves as the baseline reference against which all other 1883-CC VAM varieties are compared. The obverse is described as a normal die of the III2 type, with the notation that some specimens show a die chip between the loops of the first 8 on the right — a minor die deterioration feature that provides a diagnostic for specimens struck later in the die's life. The reverse is a normal die of the C3a type featuring a large, centered CC mint mark in the V-shaped notch above the DO of DOLLAR. The 1883-CC Morgan Dollar was struck at the Carson City Mint in Nevada with a mintage of approximately 1.2 million coins, making it one of the more available Carson City dates but still carrying the premium that all CC-mintmark Morgan Dollars command due to the facility's romantic association with the Comstock Lode silver boom. The Carson City Mint operated from 1870 through 1893, and its products are among the most collected in American numismatics. VAM-1 as the normal die entry establishes the expected die characteristics for 1883-CC Morgans, allowing variety researchers to identify deviations from normal that constitute distinct VAM numbers. The large centered CC mintmark on the reverse is the hallmark of Carson City production, hand-punched into each working die at the branch facility. While a "normal die" designation might seem unremarkable, VAM-1 serves the essential cataloging function of documenting the standard against which all variations are measured.

External References