1896-P VAM-32

Description

Discovered in 2012, this 1896 Philadelphia Mint Morgan Dollar is cataloged as 32 III2 30 - C3a (Doubled Profile) with the obverse showing slight doubling of Liberty's profile from the nose down to the chin. Profile doubling on Morgan Dollars results from hub misalignment during die manufacture, where the hub carrying George T. Morgan's Liberty head design was impressed at a marginally different position on successive strikes, creating a secondary outline along the facial contours. The doubling from nose to chin traces the most prominent relief change on the profile, where displacement is most visible. A die marker of diagonal polishing lines inside the ear helps confirm attribution — these lines were left during die preparation when excess metal was polished away from the die surface. The normal date lateral position is noted, distinguishing this variety from others in the 1896-P series that may feature date displacement. The reverse carries the C3a designation, a normal die. The 1896 Philadelphia Mint produced approximately 9.98 million Morgan Dollars during the Gilded Age, when the silver coinage debate dominated American monetary policy. Profile doubling is one of the more visually appealing VAM features because it creates a ghost-like secondary outline of Liberty's face that can be appreciated even at moderate magnification levels.

External References