1888-P VAM-7B1

Description

Revised in August 2023 from the earlier VAMs 7A and 7B by Jonnie Durham, this 1888 Philadelphia Mint Morgan Dollar VAM-7B1 is cataloged as III2 5, C3d (Doubled Reverse, Die Chips, Gouge State 4). The variety exhibits a doubled reverse combined with progressive die deterioration features: an added gouge across the upper tail feathers slanting downward and to the right, a gouge across the lower left tail feathers, and die chips that developed through the die's working life. The Gouge State 4 designation indicates this represents the fourth documented progression stage of gouging on the reverse die, tracking how die surface damage accumulated over successive striking impressions. The August 2023 revision from VAMs 7A and 7B consolidated what had been cataloged as separate varieties into the refined 7B1 classification, reflecting Durham's determination that the earlier entries represented die states of a single die pair rather than distinct varieties. George T. Morgan's 90% silver dollar reverse, with its detailed eagle and feather work, records die gouges and chips with high fidelity, making progressive die state tracking especially productive on this design.

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