1884-S VAM-14

Description

Discovered in September 2022 by Ed Pope, the 1884-S VAM-14 Morgan Dollar carries the classification III2 2 - C3g and the descriptive title "Far Date, Engraved Leaves." The obverse shows the date set to the right of its normal position — a "far date" placement that distinguishes this die from the standard date alignment on other 1884-S obverse dies. Obverse die markers include polishing lines visible in Liberty's ear and in the TY of LIBERTY, remnants of die maintenance work that left linear traces on the die surface. The reverse, classified as C3g with an "Engraved Leaves" designation, features an S mintmark that is centered and upright. Reverse die markers consist of polishing lines in the wreath bow and the wing-neck gap — the area between the eagle's wing and neck on George T. Morgan's reverse design. The Die Pair Identification System (DPIS) rating of LE4/C5 provides a standardized shorthand for identifying this specific die marriage within the broader 1884-S population. The 1884-S Morgan Dollar was struck at the San Francisco Mint with a mintage of 3,200,000 pieces in 90% silver, weighing 26.73 grams at 38.1 mm diameter. The relatively modest San Francisco mintage makes the 1884-S a key date within the Morgan Dollar series, and the discovery of VAM-14 as recently as 2022 demonstrates that new die marriages continue to be identified even in well-studied dates. The "Engraved Leaves" component of the designation indicates deliberate die modification where leaf details in the wreath were hand-engraved, a die-shop practice that created distinctive reverse die features distinguishable from the standard hub design.

External References