1879-S VAM-10

Description

Occupying a position in the first dozen cataloged die pairings for the 1879 San Francisco Morgan Dollar, VAM-10 documents a specific die combination from one of the most collected date-and-mint combinations in the Morgan series. The 1879-S is renowned for its multiple reverse types — the "Reverse of 1878" and "Reverse of 1879" — which distinguish early and late production dies by differences in the eagle's tail feathers and other reverse details. This dual-reverse phenomenon makes the 1879-S a natural focal point for die variety study, as collectors must first determine which reverse type a coin carries before proceeding to VAM-level attribution. The San Francisco Mint struck 9,110,000 Morgan Dollars in 1879 from George T. Morgan's design in 90% silver at 26.73 grams on 38.1mm planchets. Each VAM number represents a unique die combination identified through specific diagnostics: die scratches, polishing lines, positional characteristics, or clashing evidence. VAM-10's early catalog position indicates it was among the first pairings documented for this date, contributing to the rich variety landscape that makes the 1879-S a cornerstone of Morgan Dollar die study.

External References