1881-S VAM-30

Description

Discovered by Martin Field in January 1980, the 1881-S VAM-30 is classified as 30 III2 1- C3c and designated S/S Left and Up — a repunched mintmark variety. The obverse is a normal die without notable features, while the diagnostic interest concentrates on the reverse, where the Type IV S mintmark was re-punched with the original position still visible: a short vertical spike appears to the right of the upper loop opening, and an arc is visible within the middle of the lower loop opening. These remnants of the first mintmark impression create the left-and-upward displacement pattern that defines this RPM. Repunched mintmarks were routine in the Morgan Dollar era, when mintmark punches were hand-applied to each working die, making precise alignment difficult. The 1881-S Morgan Dollar was struck at San Francisco in the standard 90% silver, 10% copper composition at 412.5 grains, with a mintage of 12,760,000 — one of the higher San Francisco outputs in the Morgan series. VAM-30's clear RPM diagnostics make it an accessible variety for collectors learning to identify repunched mintmarks.

External References