1893-P VAM-7

Description

Discovered by Mark Kimpton in August 2003, this 1893 Philadelphia Morgan Dollar VAM-7 features a slightly doubled profile from the hair above the forehead down to the upper part of the neck on Liberty's portrait. Designated 7 III27 C3a (Doubled Profile) (189) in the Van Allen-Mallis catalog, the obverse is die variety III27 showing the characteristic profile doubling, while the reverse is die variety C3a. An additional diagnostic marker is a strong line through the left fork of the Y extending up to a cotton leaf on the reverse wreath. The 1893-P Morgan Dollar was struck during the Gilded Age in the final year before the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act — legislation that had required the U.S. Treasury to buy 4.5 million ounces of silver monthly. The repeal triggered severe economic consequences including the Panic of 1893, making coins from this date historically significant beyond their numismatic attributes. Philadelphia's production of Morgan Dollars in 1893 was relatively modest at approximately 378,000 pieces, making it one of the lower-mintage Philadelphia issues in the series. Profile doubling on Morgan Dollars is detectable by examining the hairline and neck contour under magnification, looking for a secondary outline slightly offset from the primary design — the doubled profile described in this VAM attribution covers a substantial portion of Liberty's face and neck.

External References