1890-O VAM-15

Description

Discovered by Martin Field in October 1979, VAM-15 is among the earlier attributions in the 1890 New Orleans Morgan dollar die marriage catalog. Classified III2 7 with die pair C3g, this variety is characterized by a high far date — the date digits positioned both higher and further right than normal relative to the bust truncation — combined with an O mintmark set to the right of its standard position. The date placement is the primary diagnostic: collectors examining 1890-O dollars should compare the horizontal spacing between the last digit and the bust against known normal-position examples. The mintmark sits at normal height but with a slight rightward shift that distinguishes it from other 1890-O die marriages. New Orleans struck 10.7 million Morgan dollars in 1890, a substantial output that consumed dozens of die pairs and generated a lengthy roster of documented VAM varieties. VAM-15's low catalog number reflects its early discovery date — Martin Field identified the variety when systematic VAM research was still in its formative decades and many die marriages remained undocumented. The high far date positioning is most readily confirmed at 5x to 10x magnification.

External References