1887-S VAM-1A
Error
Description
Originally discovered by John Roberts in January 2010 on a coin owned by William Ennett, this San Francisco Mint Morgan Dollar was designated VAM-1A with the attribution Die Gouges Star, RI and 7. Three die gouges define the variety: two slanted gouges extend from the denticles below the first left star, one appears above RI in PLURIBUS, and a short line sits below the 7. This variety has been eliminated from active status and reclassified as 1887-S VAM-19A following corrections and discoverer confirmations per the LVA (Leroy Van Allen) in February 2011. The elimination reflects the ongoing refinement within VAM scholarship, where initially separate catalog entries are consolidated when study reveals they belong to the same die marriage as an existing listing. Struck in 90% silver (0.7734 oz ASW), the 1887-S Morgan Dollar had a mintage of approximately 1.77 million pieces. Collectors encountering this variety in older references or holder attributions should be aware of the reclassification to VAM-19A, as the die gouges and markers remain valid identification points under the updated catalog number.
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