1896-P VAM-27

Description

Discovered by Richard Thompson in February 2008, this 1896-P Morgan Dollar variety is designated VAM-27 with obverse die III2 number 25 paired with reverse die C3a, appearing on plate number 189. The key diagnostic is a very slight doubling at the bottom outside of the numeral 6 in the date — a subtle feature demanding careful magnification and favorable lighting to confirm. The date is slanted but in normal lateral position, meaning the baseline of the numerals is tilted but the overall left-right placement falls within typical range. Very slight doublings like this represent the threshold of detection in die variety attribution, where the secondary impression sits so close to the primary design that distinguishing genuine hub doubling from strike doubling or deterioration requires experienced examination. Richard Thompson is a recognized VAM researcher whose contributions have expanded the catalog across multiple Morgan Dollar dates. The 1896-P was struck at the Philadelphia Mint during the later period of original Morgan Dollar production, which would pause after 1904 before a brief final run in 1921.

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