1891-O VAM-1C

Description

Brought to light in December 2006 by C. Logan McKechnie, the 1891-O VAM-1C Morgan Dollar is a clashed obverse variety classified as III21 with a C3a reverse designation and catalog number 181. The defining diagnostic is a partial incuse letter "G" — transferred from the reverse inscription "God" in the motto "In God We Trust" — visible next to Liberty's neck on the obverse. This clash transfer occurred when the obverse and reverse dies struck each other without a planchet between them, impressing the reverse "G" into the obverse die face where it then appeared in incuse form on subsequently struck coins. The mechanism is identical to that producing the clashed "n" varieties seen on other Morgan Dollar dates, but the transferred letter differs depending on the precise alignment of the dies at the moment of clash — the "G" of "God" and the "n" of "In" occupy adjacent positions on the reverse, and slight rotational differences between clash events determine which letter transfers most prominently. The 1891-O Morgan Dollar was struck at the New Orleans Mint with a production of approximately 7.95 million pieces, a moderate output for this facility during the later period of Morgan Dollar coinage. New Orleans Morgan Dollars are generally characterized by softer strikes compared to Philadelphia issues, reflecting differences in press pressure and die maintenance practices between the two facilities. The DPIS entry remains unassigned, and the emission sequence data for both obverse and reverse is not yet established. VAM-1C's status as a die state substage of the VAM-1 die pair reflects the progressive documentation of clash evidence that develops as the die pair continues in service.

External References