1892-CC VAM-9

Description

Displaying a far date positioned further right than normal and a CC mintmark tilted to the left with the second C touching the wreath, this VAM-9 for the 1892 Carson City Morgan Dollar was discovered by Martin Field in June 1985. Cataloged as 9 III2 5 - C3b, the obverse die (III2 5) shows the rightward date shift, while the reverse die (C3b) carries the distinctively tilted CC mintmark with wreath contact. The diagnostic code (177) provides an additional catalog reference. Carson City Morgan Dollars hold a special place in American numismatics — the Nevada branch mint operated from 1870 to 1893, and its CC mintmark is among the most prized in the series. The 1892-CC had a mintage of only 1.35 million pieces, one of the final years of Carson City production before the mint closed permanently in 1893. The tilted CC mintmark touching the wreath represents a hand-punching anomaly where the two-letter mintmark punch was applied at a slight angle, pushing the second C close enough to make contact with the adjacent wreath design. Far date positioning — where the date sits further right than the standard position — adds a second diagnostic that makes VAM-9 attributable from the obverse alone. The combination of a scarce CC mint issue, a visually distinctive tilted mintmark, and far date positioning makes this variety particularly appealing to collectors who specialize in Carson City Mint Morgan Dollars and their die variety documentation.

External References