1885-P VAM-11

Description

Discovered by Oscar Simpson in March 1977, the 1885-P VAM-11 — catalogued as 11 (revised) III2 11 - C3a (Tripled 5) — showcases dramatic obverse doubling in the 1885 Philadelphia Morgan Dollar series. The 5 in the date is tripled across its full top, with the date set slightly left of normal position tolerance. Simpson noted that despite being difficult to locate in the marketplace, the tripling jumps at the viewer in hand — suggesting it is not particularly rare but goes unattributed on many specimens. Additional features include lightly doubled right stars and a long vertical die scratch at the tip of the L in LIBERTY. The primary die marker is a long vertical polishing line at the left end of the Phrygian Cap ribbon — a durable and specific marker well suited to quick attribution screening. George T. Morgan's 90% silver dollar, produced at Philadelphia without a mintmark, offers a generous date field for examining digit tripling under a loupe. Collectors pursuing 1885-P VAMs will find VAM-11 a satisfying target: the tripling on the 5 is visually compelling once located, and the ribbon polishing line provides rapid obverse confirmation.

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