1884-P VAM-14

Description

Classified as III213, C3a, this 1884 Philadelphia Mint Morgan Dollar variety displays a far date positioning and an extra forehead curl on Liberty's portrait, combining a positional characteristic with a hub doubling feature. Die pair 189 produced this variety, with the date set noticeably to the right of the normal position. The extra forehead curl results from a secondary hub impression that created an additional curl element in Liberty's hair above the forehead, providing a reliable diagnostic marker under moderate magnification. Discovered by David Jackson in December 2004, VAM-14 adds to the catalog of Philadelphia Mint varieties from 1884, a year when the Mint struck over 14 million silver dollars. The 90% silver Morgan Dollar, designed by George T. Morgan, features Liberty's portrait on the obverse surrounded by stars and the date, with the heraldic eagle reverse. Far date positioning indicates the date digits were placed farther from the rim or other reference points than the normal die, a variation that occurred during the die preparation process when the date was hubbed into the working die. The combination of far date and extra forehead curl gives this variety two independent attribution points.

External References