1889-O VAM-6A

Description

Documented in 2012, the 1889-O VAM-6A "Doubled 18-9, O Set High, Cud Below 18" Morgan dollar presents a compelling combination of doubled date numerals, a distinctively positioned mintmark, and a significant die break. Cataloged as 6A III2 3 · C3f (Doubled 18-9, O Set High, Cud Below 18) with die number 181, this sub-variety of the VAM-6 family adds a rim cud below the 18 digits that extends into the adjacent field — a progressive die failure that developed during the production life of this already-notable die marriage. George T. Morgan's silver dollar was produced at the New Orleans Mint in 1889 with an approximate mintage of 11.88 million coins, a substantial output that generated the working die inventory from which complex varieties like VAM-6A emerge. The Obverse III2 3 classification identifies the base die type, and the "A" suffix distinguishes this die state from the parent VAM-6 by the presence of the rim cud — a retained die break where a section of the die along the rim below the 18 fractured and separated enough to allow planchet metal to flow into the gap, producing a raised, featureless area on struck coins. The doubled 18-9 diagnostic indicates visible doubling on three of the four date digits, while the O set high documents a mintmark positioned above the standard height beneath the eagle's tail feathers. This triple-diagnostic combination — doubled date numerals, elevated mintmark, and rim cud — makes VAM-6A one of the more readily attributable varieties for the 1889-O date, as each characteristic provides an independent confirmation point. Collectors should examine the date area under moderate magnification for the cud below 18 and the doubled numerals, then verify the high O position on the reverse.

External References