1897-S VAM-5A
Error
Description
Discovered in 2010 by John Coxe, the 1897-S VAM-5A is classified as III2 4 - C3a (Doubled 1, Clashed Obverse u) and is designated number 187 in the VAM sequence. The obverse exhibits doubling on the numeral 1 in the date, a feature caused by a secondary impression from the hub during die preparation. More notably, this die shows evidence of a clash event: a faint partial incuse letter u from the word TRUST on the reverse transferred onto the obverse, visible above the right hair vee at the lower hair edge. Die clashing occurs when obverse and reverse dies strike each other without a planchet between them, leaving ghostly impressions of the opposing design in the fields. The reverse carries a C3a die pairing. Clashed-die Morgan dollars are sought by VAM collectors for the detective work involved in identifying the transferred design elements, and the incuse u on this variety provides a reliable diagnostic for attribution.
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