1882-S VAM-39A

Description

Discovered by Andrew Wojtowich in 2019 and announced through an LVA Discovery Letter in June 2019, the 1882-S VAM-39A is a Morgan dollar variety struck at the San Francisco Mint featuring a Doubled Date, Engraved Wreath Leaves, and Die Chip Wreath. Classified as III2 26 - C3a (186), this is a relatively recent addition to the comprehensive 1882-S Morgan dollar die variety census. San Francisco produced 9,250,000 Morgan dollars in 1882, each struck in 90% silver and 10% copper, weighing 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter. The reverse die, classified C3a, presents the most distinctive diagnostic features: a small die chip appears on the left wreath leaves opposite NI in UNITED, positioned slightly lower than the similar die chip found on the related variety VAM-31A. This positional difference in the die chip location is the key distinction between VAM-39A and VAM-31A, requiring careful comparison under magnification to correctly attribute specimens. The "Engraved Wreath Leaves" designation suggests that some wreath leaf details were manually enhanced or re-engraved on the die, a practice occasionally employed at the mint to restore or sharpen design details on a working die. The doubled date on the obverse adds another attribution point, with the secondary date impression visible as faint traces alongside the primary date digits. George T. Morgan's wreath reverse design, surrounding the denomination and motto, provides intricate leaf patterns where die chips, engraving modifications, and other die characteristics can be identified. The 2019 discovery date demonstrates that new VAM varieties continue to be found on well-studied Morgan dollar dates, as advanced imaging technology and increased collector scrutiny reveal previously unrecognized die characteristics.

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