1888-O VAM-10

Description

Oscar Simpson identified this New Orleans Mint Morgan Dollar variety in April 1977, documenting an unusual date placement that sets it apart from normal 1888-O die pairings. Cataloged as VAM-10 with classification III2 6 - C3a (Slanted Date) and die pairing 181, the obverse shows the date slanted with the digit 1 positioned close to the rim, creating a tilted baseline across the four-digit date. The reverse carries a centered circular medium Type III O mintmark with a wide opening, centered and positioned upright in the C3a configuration. During the production of Morgan Dollars at New Orleans, date logotypes were punched into each working die by hand, and the angle of the punch against the die face determined the final orientation of the date on struck coins. A slanted date results when the punch was held at a slight angle rather than perpendicular to the die surface, producing a tilt that is consistent across all coins struck from that die. The 1888-O had a substantial mintage of approximately 12.15 million coins, and the Gilded Age production at the New Orleans facility generated numerous die varieties that VAM researchers have documented over decades of study. VAM-10 provides collectors with a readily identifiable positional variety.

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