1885-O Morgan VAM question "Belly Button"?
Rollerman
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I've had this 1885-O Morgan for many years (40 or more) and always just thought it was a "Belly Button" Morgan, but I can't seem to find it in my big Morgan/Peace book and nor with the online version (unless I was doing something wrong?). Can anyone shed any light on this? I hope I got the image to take.
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Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
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Louis Armstrong
That's a big belly button.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
LOL It runs in the family!
Louis Armstrong
"Mint State grades: The 1885-O is the most common of all New Orleans Mint silver dollars in Uncirculated grade and among certified coins from this mint is the most common issue at levels from MS-63 through MS-65. It is believed that 2.5 to 3.5 million exist at the MS-60 to 62 level, a staggering quantity. In MS-63 grade, the estimated population is 800,000 to 1,300,000, followed by 400,000 to 600,000 in MS-64, and 100,000 to 175,000 MS-65 or better coins."
"The strike of 1885-O dollars is average. Examples are seen weakly defined at the centers, while others are sharply struck. Certain flatly-struck coins have what Wayne Miller called a "belly button" or a recessed or dimpled area in the lowest portion of the eagle's breast, due to metal not filling the deepest portion of the die. Cherry-picking is easy to do for this issue and is advised."
Q David Bowers,
Silver Dollars & Trade Dollars of the United States: A Complete Encyclopedia" (Wolfeboro, NH: Bowers and Merena Galleries, Inc., 1993)
https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1885-o-1/7162
Had not heard of this one. I would have thought it was some type of struck through (which can vary as striking continues) but the information say Not. I found several of them in past auction listings or similar but no other information other than the VAM world.
Should verify it is VAM24 (I can only see that the O mint mark is about the correct position).
From the VAM world for VAM 24:
http://www.vamworld.com/wiki/1885-O_VAM-24
Following the links - The picture page for the belly button:
http://www.vamworld.com/wiki/File:1885_O_VAM-24_BellyButton.jpg
And the Belly button page:
http://www.vamworld.com/wiki/Belly_Button_Striking_Error
And following the links the thread with Notes and a screenshot of the applicable VAM24 notes:
http://www.vamworld.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=342&p=4024#p4024
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RLJ 1958 - 2023
Excellent info gentlemen and thank you both. I'm not sure why I was unable to run across it myself, but will try it again and see if I end up in the right places as you have.
Louis Armstrong
Here is my belly button eagle. I didn’t know it was a thing till I found this. Figured it was a strike thru
it's nicely colored, too
Interesting this thread resurfaced today. Some of us were looking into this variety, and that die crack from the left star to above the U is always there. Clearly something went rather wonky when they had this specific set of dies in the press.
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Very cool!
Student of numismatics and collector of Morgan dollars
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That is a great catch same die crack!
That is a huge belly button!