1885-O VAM-22
Error
Description
Discovered by Brent Fogelberg in March 2005 and classified as 22 III21 C3g (Doubled Arrow Feathers) (181), this 1885-O Morgan Dollar features hub doubling concentrated on the reverse arrow feathers. Struck in 90% silver at the New Orleans Mint, the coin belongs to George T. Morgan's silver dollar series during the Gilded Age, when New Orleans was striking millions of dollars under the Bland-Allison and Sherman Silver Purchase Acts. The obverse, classified III21, shows very slight doubling on the right inside of the ear. The reverse, designated C3g, carries the more prominent doubling: arrow feathers and shafts doubled on the left end, with arrowheads doubled on the lower edge. The III O mintmark is centered and upright, and the designer's initial M is slightly doubled. This variety appears to have been relisted as 1885-O VAM-31 — an important piece of catalog history, as VAM numbers are occasionally reassigned or consolidated through new editions and revisions. Collectors should be aware of both designations when researching or purchasing this die marriage.
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