1887-O VAM-17

Description

Discovered by Martin Field in November 1979, the 1887-O VAM-17 is classified as III2 16, C3a and described as a doubled 8-7 with far date. On the obverse, the first 8 shows slight doubling on the bottom right outside of the lower loop, and the 7 is doubled about its upper serif, while the date sits further right than normal. The 1887-O VAM-17A, a clashed variant, uses the exact same die pair as this unclashed original, the difference being solely the presence of clash marks from die contact without a planchet. Early die state examples may exhibit an O/O mint mark, but this feature is not reliable for attribution purposes and disappears soon after striking began, so it is excluded from the official description. New Orleans Morgan Dollars of 1887 were produced in substantial quantity, and the far date position combined with doubled digits on the 8 and 7 makes this variety identifiable under moderate magnification. Collectors seeking VAM-17 should confirm the far date placement and doubled digits while checking for the presence or absence of clash marks to distinguish it from VAM-17A.

External References