1888-S VAM-10A
Error
Description
Peter Hohnstein identified this die marriage in April 2009. The 1888 San Francisco Mint Morgan Dollar VAM-10A is classified as 10A III2 7 C3a (Doubled Ear Bottom, Reverse File Lines) with die pair 187. Struck in 90% silver, the obverse shows Liberty's ear slightly doubled at the bottom of the earlobe, where a secondary hub impression produced extra thickness on the lower ear contour. The reverse displays vertical die file lines, deliberate abrasive marks left from filing the die surface to remove die clash marks. Critically, 1888-S VAM-10 and VAM-10A were made with the exact same pair of dies, establishing that these two varieties represent different die states of a single die marriage rather than separate die combinations. This shared die relationship means the distinction between VAM-10 and VAM-10A lies in the progression of die characteristics over production, with the reverse file lines on VAM-10A documenting a die maintenance intervention between the two cataloged states. The C3a reverse classification identifies the specific S mint mark characteristics for this San Francisco issue.
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