1878-P Morgan Dollar VAM-9: The "First Morgan Dollar" Comma Feather Reverse

Few Morgan varieties carry as much history as the 1878-P VAM-9. It is a Top 100 and WOW! Morgan VAM, discovered by Leroy Van Allen in October 1966, and NGC recognizes it. The source calls it a very tough variety.

The history

VAM-9 was struck at 3:17 PM on March 11, 1878, using the first set of dies ever used to strike Morgan dollars. The first delivery of 303 coins to Linderman on March 12, 1878 was likely all VAM-9. Presentation pieces were struck for President Rutherford B. Hayes, and the coin given to Hayes has been identified as a VAM-9.

How to identify it

• Obverse (the first obverse die used): E PLUR and U-M of the motto are doubled at the top of the bottom serifs. The first four left stars and all right stars are slightly doubled on the outside. The 7 in the date is slightly doubled on the right side. Die polish lines appear in the cotton bolls, and a line in the cap band can be seen even on worn coins.

• Reverse (the first reverse used): all legend and motto doubled, with the left wreath and olive leaves slightly doubled. Three small feathers sit on the eagle's right and two on the left. The unique identifier is a kidney-bean shaped "comma" feather on the lower right side of the eagle.

The comma feather separates it from the more common A1k reverse found on VAMs 14.1 and 14.10. A clashed version, VAM-9A, was discovered in 2005.

What buyers and collectors should know

Buyers should treat this as an attribution purchase: confirm the comma feather and the cap band polish line before paying a premium. Collectors get a coin tied to the first day of Morgan dollar production.

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