1896-P VAM-18

Description

Discovered by Leroy Van Allen in April 1981, the 1896-P VAM-18 is a proof-only Morgan dollar variety struck at the Philadelphia Mint featuring a Very Near Date. Classified as III2 18 - C3f (Very Near Date, Proof Only) (189), this variety is restricted to the proof production run and does not appear on business strike examples. The Philadelphia Mint produced 762 proof Morgan dollars in 1896 alongside 9,976,762 business strikes, each composed of 90% silver and 10% copper, weighing 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter. Proof Morgan dollars were struck on specially prepared polished planchets using polished dies, producing mirror-like fields and frosted design elements prized by collectors. The obverse die, classified as III2 18, displays a date set much further left than normal, positioning the date digits closer to Liberty's bust than the standard die setting. This leftward date placement is the primary diagnostic and gives the variety its "Very Near Date" designation. The reverse die, classified as C3f, carries a horizontal line inside the wreath bow as its key die marker. The Die Pair Identification System (DPIS) for this die pairing is cataloged as C2/B34. VAMWorld notes that this is the most common of three proof die pairs used in 1896, indicating that at least three different obverse-reverse die combinations were employed during the limited proof production run. Leroy Van Allen, who co-created the VAM classification system with A. George Mallis, personally discovered this variety, adding significance to its place in the VAM catalog as an important proof-only designation within the Morgan dollar series.

External References