1887-O VAM-18

Description

Martin Field discovered this New Orleans Mint Morgan Dollar variety in June 1981, now cataloged as VAM-18 III2 12 - C3b (Far Date, O Shifted Right) with the die sequence notation "(181)." The obverse displays the date set further right than normal, classified under the "Far Date" designation that identifies dies where the date position deviates measurably from standard placement. On the reverse, the medium O mint mark is shifted slightly to the right of its typical centered position beneath the eagle's tail feathers. Date position varieties on Morgan Dollars result from the hand-placement of date logotype punches into individual working dies — a process subject to minor variation with each application, producing the near date, far date, high date, and shifted date variations cataloged throughout the series. The 1887-O Morgan Dollar had a mintage of 11,550,000 pieces, a robust output from the New Orleans facility. The C3b reverse classification identifies the specific reverse die type and its mint mark characteristics, part of the systematic reverse die cataloging that allows researchers to track which reverse dies were paired with which obverses across production runs. The "Far Date" combined with "O Shifted Right" creates a distinctive die marriage that experienced variety collectors can identify through careful measurement of date placement relative to Liberty's portrait and the rim denticles.

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