1889-P VAM-3

Description

Originally discovered by George Mallis in July 1964 — co-author of the foundational Van Allen-Mallis Morgan Dollar reference — and subsequently revised by C. Logan McKechnie in August 2003 with further updates in 2014, the 1889-P VAM-3 Morgan Dollar is classified as III2 3 – C3a (Doubled 18-9 and Ear) with die pairing number 190. The obverse presents doubling on the digits 1, 8, and 9 in the date: the 1 is doubled below the upper and lower crossbars, while the left 8 and the 9 show doubling at the bottom outside of each digit. All right stars are slightly doubled toward the rim — a secondary feature indicating the hub displacement affected not just the date area but extended outward to the star positions, where the displacement diminished to slight doubling given their distance from the primary displacement zone. Liberty's ear also shows doubling, adding a portrait-feature diagnostic to the date and star evidence. The reverse (C3a) is a normal die, and a community notation indicates that moderate clashed examples of this variety are known but show no letter transfer — meaning the clashing produced marks on the die face but was not strong enough to transfer legible letter impressions from the opposing die. The Morgan Dollar was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1889 in 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter. George T. Morgan's design was in its twelfth year. George Mallis' 1964 discovery of this variety, three years before the first VAM reference was published, demonstrates the early pioneering work that established Morgan Dollar variety collecting as a formal discipline. The three-revision history spanning 60 years reflects the ongoing refinement of variety descriptions within the VAM catalog.

External References