1889-O VAM-13H

Description

Discovered in September 2010 by the researcher known as Squirrel, VAM-13H earned the designation of a "WOW! Morgan VAM" — the enthusiastic rating reserved for varieties deemed particularly spectacular within the VAM community. Classified 13H III2 8 - C3a (181), this 1889 New Orleans Morgan Dollar features a Far Date on the obverse combined with a distinctive diagonal die gouge on the reverse, cutting through the upper third inner feather from the bottom of the eagle's right wing. New Orleans struck 11,875,000 Morgan Dollars in 1889, a solid production year for the aging facility that would continue striking Morgans through 1904. The die gouge on the eagle's wing creates a visible line across one of the most detailed areas of the reverse design, where George T. Morgan's finely engraved feather work would highlight any die defect with particular clarity. The C3a reverse designation and the III2 8 obverse classification place this variety within established die categories for the 1889-O date. The far date positioning on the obverse adds a secondary collecting dimension, though the wing die gouge is likely the primary feature that earned the "WOW!" distinction. Cataloged by VAMWorld, VAM-13H sits deep within the extended sub-variety numbering of the VAM-13 family, with the "H" suffix indicating significant differentiation from earlier 13-series entries.

External References