1888-O VAM-7

Description

Identified by Leonard Hinckley in February 1974, the 1888-O VAM-7 is one of the earliest documented varieties for this New Orleans Mint date, carrying the classification III2 1·C3c. The defining feature is a mintmark set high on the reverse — an O positioned above its normal placement — which anchors the C3c reverse die designation. Hinckley's 1974 attribution predates digital imaging tools and represents foundational work in the VAM reference system. An important die relationship note accompanies this variety: VAM-7 was struck from the exact same die pair that produced VAM-7B, meaning the two must be distinguished by other means. The 1888-O VAM-7A, by contrast, was struck from entirely different dies, and some researchers have argued it should be renumbered to avoid confusion with the 7/7B shared-die grouping. The 1888-O had a mintage of approximately 12.15 million coins. A high-set O mintmark is among the most visually accessible mintmark positioning variants in the Morgan Dollar series and makes VAM-7 a friendly attribution for collectors beginning their VAM journey. =1888-O VAM-7 O Set High= Discovered by Leonard Hinckley, February 1974.

External References