1892-O VAM-17

Description

Discovered by John Coxe in November 2006, the 1892-O VAM-17 "Doubled Profile" Morgan dollar identifies subtle doubling on Liberty's facial profile — a diagnostic that places this variety in the scarce category of Morgan dollar hub-doubled obverses documented through the VAM system. Cataloged as 17 III2 10 · C3a (Doubled Profile) with die pair number 181, the obverse III2 1 die carries a diagonal die gouge at the lower inside of Liberty's ear as an additional diagnostic marker. New Orleans struck approximately 2.74 million Morgan dollars in 1892, a significantly lower mintage than the prolific 1880s production levels, reflecting reduced demand for silver dollars in the early 1890s. The doubled profile designation indicates that George T. Morgan's carefully sculpted Liberty face — the nose bridge, lips, chin line, and cheek contours — shows evidence of a secondary hub impression displaced from the primary, producing subtle thickening or shadowing along the profile edge. Profile doubling on Morgan dollars is particularly sought after because the face occupies the visual center of the design, making any doubling immediately apparent during examination. The diagonal die gouge inside the ear provides a secondary diagnostic independent of the doubling itself — die gouges are linear depressions cut into the die during production that produce raised lines on struck coins. John Coxe has contributed numerous Morgan dollar VAM discoveries, particularly for New Orleans and San Francisco issues. Collectors should examine Liberty's profile from forehead through chin under 15-20x magnification, looking for any doubled contour lines or thickening along the facial edge, then confirm the diagonal gouge inside the ear to verify the specific obverse die.

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