1903-O VAM-19

Description

Discovered in 2010 by Pat Mullen, the 1903-O VAM-19 "Doubled Ear, High O" Morgan dollar documents two distinct diagnostics: slightly doubled ear detail on Liberty's portrait and a high-positioned O mintmark on the reverse. Cataloged as 19 III2 11 · C4d (Doubled Ear, High O) with a question mark indicating the classification may be provisional, this variety pairs Obverse III2 11 with Reverse C4d. George T. Morgan's silver dollar was produced at the New Orleans Mint in 1903 with an approximate mintage of 4.45 million coins — the penultimate year of Morgan dollar production at New Orleans before the facility closed in 1909. The doubled ear diagnostic — slightly doubled on the right inside surface and at the bottom of the earlobe — indicates a hub doubling event where the secondary impression displaced the ear detail just enough to create a visible secondary contour within the ear's sculptural curves. Liberty's ear, partially visible beneath the wheat sheaf and cotton boll wreath on Morgan's obverse design, provides a curved, three-dimensional surface where even slight hub displacement creates detectable echoes in the relief contours. The high O mintmark on the reverse documents a mintmark hand-punched at a position above the standard height beneath the eagle's tail feathers, providing an independent reverse diagnostic that complements the obverse ear doubling. Pat Mullen contributed numerous Morgan dollar VAM discoveries during the 2010s, expanding the catalog for several dates and mint facilities. Emission sequence data for both obverse and reverse dies awaits further documentation. Collectors should examine Liberty's ear under 15-20x magnification for the secondary contour on the right inside and bottom of the earlobe, then verify the elevated O mintmark position on the reverse for complete attribution confirmation.

External References