1878-CC Morgan Dollar VAM-6: Doubled Leaves and a High Right Mint Mark

The 1878-CC VAM-6 is a Top 100 and WOW! Morgan VAM from Carson City. Marilyn Tiernan discovered the reverse in June 1970, and Francis Klaes found the obverse in June 1963. NGC recognizes it.

Background

The Carson City mint struck 2,212,000 Morgan dollars in 1878, using 14 obverse and 16 reverse dies. That is more die pairs than any other CC Morgan date, and Mint State coins are readily available.

How to identify it

• Obverse: the ear and the cotton blossom leaves are doubled on their right edges. The date and all right and left stars are doubled on the bottom edge.

• Reverse: the CC mint mark is very widely spaced, set high and touching the wreath. The right side of the CC lines up with the curve of the bow to the left of the bow knot.

• Gouge check: a horizontal die gouge sits right of the cotton boll on VAMs 6 and 18, and is absent on VAM-24. The date is doubled on VAMs 6 and 18 but not on VAM-24.

• VAM-6 versus VAM-18: VAM-6 has the mint mark set high and right, touching the ribbon.

What buyers and collectors should know

VAM-6 is one of three closely related "doubled leaves" CC varieties, and the cotton leaf doubling is strong. Buyers should check the mint mark position first, since that separates VAM-6 from its look-alikes. Top 100 set builders widely seek it.

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