1878-S Morgan Dollar VAM-19 "Cap Band Gouge": The Largest Obverse Gouge in the Series

The 1878-S VAM-19 is a Hit List 40 and WOW! Morgan VAM, and a Top 30 1878-S die variety. Lewis Rosenbaum discovered it in March 1977, and the listing was revised in 2002. NGC recognizes it.

How to identify it

• Obverse: a thick, broad horizontal die gouge runs across the wheat leaves and top cotton leaf. VAMWorld calls it the largest known obverse die gouge in the series. LIBERTY is slightly doubled with a shift up, the point on the fourth right star is broken, and the nostril, eyelid and E PL-R-BUS U of the motto are doubled. The field is slightly concave, and the profile is doubled from hair to chin.

• Reverse: a feather engraved between the eagle's right wing and leg, a broken R in Trust, and a D in DOLLAR doubled at the top left and bottom outside. The die shows several stages of over polishing.

Later die state

In VAM-19A the reverse is extremely over polished after die clashing. Leaves become disconnected in the wreath and detail is missing in the eagle's left wing.

What buyers and collectors should know

Even heavily worn specimens show the gouge, so the variety is easy to confirm. Collectors will want to decide whether they are after the original state or the dramatic over-polished VAM-19A.

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