1886-O VAM-21

Description

Featuring one of the more visually distinctive date anomalies in the Morgan Dollar series, this 1886 New Orleans Mint variety shows the numeral 8 extending into the denticles — the small tooth-like design elements encircling the rim — with a raised curved bar visible in the space below the right 8. The intrusion of a date digit into the denticle zone indicates unusual die positioning during preparation, creating a diagnostic feature that is both visually striking and mechanically informative about how the date was applied. The date is set at the right edge of the normal lateral position, a secondary characteristic that helps confirm the specific die. Discovered in 2010, the variety carries VAM plate designation 21 III2 14 - C3a, where III2 identifies the obverse die class, 14 the die pair, and C3a the reverse die class. The 1886-O Morgan Dollar is one of the recognized key dates in the series, with significantly lower mintage than Philadelphia or San Francisco issues and strong collector demand across all grades. This scarcity elevates the significance of any documented die variety, as fewer coins survived for researchers to examine. Cataloged by VAMWorld, the "8 in Denticles" designation makes this one of the more memorable variety names in the 1886-O VAM catalog.

External References