1888-O VAM-1H

Description

Cataloged as 1H III21 · C3a with plate photo 181, this 1888-O Morgan Dollar carries the evocative designation "Pinned Wing" and was discovered in 2010. The primary diagnostic is a short diagonal die gouge positioned between the middle inner feathers of the eagle's right wing — not on the body, as the catalog carefully specifies — creating the appearance of a pin or fastener piercing the wing. Die gouges of this nature result from accidental contact between a pointed tool or foreign object and the die surface during handling or preparation, leaving an incised mark that transfers as a raised feature on every coin struck from that die. The catalog also notes the O mintmark is set slightly high on this reverse, classified as III with this specific mintmark positioning. Obverse die class III21 indicates a modified die in subclass 21, paired with reverse C3a. The "Pinned Wing" designation exemplifies the descriptive naming tradition within VAM cataloging, where varieties receive memorable titles derived from their most visually distinctive characteristics. George T. Morgan's heraldic eagle reverse, with its detailed wing feathering, provides abundant surface area where small die imperfections become identifiable variety markers. Struck at the New Orleans Mint on 90% silver planchets at 26.73 grams.

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