1884-P VAM-18

Description

Classified as III2 17 - C3a with a rarity of 180, this 1884 Philadelphia Morgan Dollar preserves one of the more intriguing misplaced date phenomena in the VAM catalog. The obverse shows a possible top of an 8 protruding into the denticle space below the primary 8 in the date, manifesting as a raised curved bar in what should be a featureless area between the date digits and the rim denticles. Misplaced date elements occur when the date punch contacts the die at an incorrect position during an early stage of die preparation, leaving a partial digit impression that remains visible even after the final date is properly placed. The far date position — where the date sits further from the bust than standard — provides the secondary diagnostic for identification. Morgan Dollars from the 1884 Philadelphia issue had a substantial mintage, and the extensive VAM catalog for this date reflects the enormous number of die pairs employed. The raised curved bar requires careful examination under magnification to distinguish from contact marks or planchet irregularities, with comparison to reference images essential for confident attribution.

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