1884-P VAM-8I

Description

Recorded as a 2013 discovery, the 1884-P VAM-8I Morgan Dollar features a far date positioning combined with a distinctive diagonal die gouge at the cap fold of Liberty's Phrygian cap. The VAM classification III2 8 - C3a (Far Date, Die Gouge Cap Fold) documents both the date placement variation and the obverse die damage. The die gouge begins at the cap fold and continues downward as a broken line toward the end of the cotton leaf below the cotton boll — a trajectory that traces a significant path across Liberty's headdress, making this a visually prominent attribution marker. The "(?) " notation suggests some aspect of the attribution remains tentative, possibly regarding the exact die pair confirmation. George T. Morgan's obverse design features Liberty wearing a Phrygian cap adorned with wheat ears, cotton bolls, and leaves — agricultural symbols representing America's productive capacity — and die damage in this ornate area creates distinct patterns. The 1884 Philadelphia Mint struck 14,070,875 Morgan Dollars, a robust mintage that populated numerous die pairs. The "far date" designation indicates the date numerals are positioned further from the rim or from a reference point than typical for the issue, a positional variant that die variety specialists measure precisely. VAM-8I builds on the base VAM-8 die marriage with this additional sub-variety designation documenting the specific gouge pattern, illustrating how a single die pair can generate multiple catalog entries as new die stages and damage features are identified.

External References