1883-CC VAM-3A

Description

Discovered by Mark Kimpton in April 2003, this Carson City Mint Morgan Dollar is classified under die pair (178), die marriage III23 - C3b. The obverse features a dash under the 8 in the date and slanted CC mint mark — diagnostics that identify the specific obverse die. The reverse shows a clashed n and st, indicating that lowercase letter forms from the obverse motto IN GOD WE TRUST were transferred onto the reverse die during a clash event without a planchet. Carson City Morgan Dollars are among the most collectible in the series due to the mint's limited operation from 1870 to 1893 and the Comstock Lode silver provenance. The die marriage designation III23 - C3b identifies the specific pairing of obverse die III23 with reverse die C3b, while the A suffix on VAM-3A indicates this is a later die state or subvariety of the primary VAM-3 listing. The clashed letter transfers — n and st — provide evidence that the dies made contact without a planchet at least once during this die pair's production life. Mark Kimpton's 2003 discovery added to the growing catalog of Carson City Morgan Dollar VAMs, a series that commands premium prices due to the CC mintmark's collector appeal.

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