1887-S VAM-8

Description

LVA documented VAM-8 in September 1983, classifying it as III2 6 · C3a, entry 186 — Far Date. The defining obverse characteristic is a date set further right than normal — the Far Date positioning that distinguishes this obverse die from standard 1887-S examples and is the primary attribution trigger at the scanning stage. VAM-8 and VAM-8A share this same obverse die, meaning the far-date obverse alone does not uniquely identify the variety; the reverse die must be confirmed to separate VAM-8 from VAM-8A. On the reverse side, VAM-3, VAM-8, and VAM-23 were all produced using the same reverse die, adding a further layer of complexity: this reverse die appears in three different VAM pairings. The emission sequence for this die group is: Obverse used in VAMs 8 and 8A sequentially; Reverse used in VAMs 3, 23, and 8 across their respective production periods. The 1887-S Morgan Dollar is a 90% silver San Francisco Mint issue. Collectors attributing VAM-8 must confirm both the far-date obverse and the specific reverse die features, cross-checking against VAM-8A (same obverse, different reverse) and VAM-3 and VAM-23 (same reverse, different obverses) to establish the correct die marriage. =1887-S VAM-8 Far Date= Discovered by Leroy Van Allen, September 1983.

External References