1884-P VAM-4

Description

Francis Klaes discovered this Philadelphia Morgan dollar in May 1962, and it holds a prestigious Top 100 Morgan VAM designation. Cataloged as VAM-4 under classification III2 4 with a C3b reverse, titled Small Dot, carrying a rarity rating of 189, this variety features a small dot positioned near George T. Morgan's engraver's initial M at the base of Liberty's neck. The dot also appears after the M initial on the C3b reverse, though in a slightly different position than on the companion VAM-3 listing. The date is set further right than normal on the obverse. Distinguishing VAM-4 from the related VAM-3 requires careful measurement: the VAM-4 dot is smaller and positioned closer to the M initial than the large dot on VAM-3. The Top 100 designation reflects both the historical significance of this early discovery and the enduring collector demand for Morgan varieties bearing unusual die features near the designer's initial. Philadelphia Morgan dollars from 1884 saw a mintage of 14,070,875, yet examples preserving the small dot with sufficient clarity for attribution remain sought after by VAM specialists.

External References