1887-S VAM-12B

Description

Discovered in 2013 by John Coxe, the 1887-S VAM-12B Morgan Dollar carries the classification III2 8 - C3c (Doubled 88, Very Near Date, High S, Die File Lines Reverse) with die pairing number 186. Unusually, the description text associates the die file lines detail with the obverse designation: die file lines around the eagle and lower reverse with very heavy die file lines at the upper tail feathers and below the tail feathers, documented as an earlier die state than VAM-12A — meaning VAM-12B preserves the die in a less deteriorated condition than the 12A state, with the file lines more crisply defined before subsequent striking wear diminished their visibility. The obverse (III2 8) features the doubled 88 component with the date set much further left than normal, constituting the "Very Near Date" designation. The reverse (C3c) carries a high-set S mintmark from the San Francisco Mint. The combination of doubled date digits, near date positioning, high mintmark, and extensive reverse file lines creates a four-feature diagnostic that provides multiple independent attribution checkpoints. The Morgan Dollar was designed by George T. Morgan and struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1887 in 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter. The 1887-S had a mintage of approximately 1.8 million pieces — a lower figure for the series. Coxe's 2013 discovery identified this as an earlier die state relative to VAM-12A, establishing the die state sequence within the VAM-12 family. The very heavy die file lines at the tail feathers document aggressive die maintenance, likely to remove clash marks or surface damage, and their pristine preservation in this earlier state makes VAM-12B specimens particularly informative for studying the file line patterns before production wear softened them.

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