1890-O VAM-2B

Description

Discovered by John Coxe in February 2011, the 1890-O VAM-2B Morgan Dollar is classified as 2B III2 1 - C3b (High O, Polishing Lines Tail Feathers) with die pairing number 181. The reverse (C3b) presents the variety's defining features: vertical polishing lines below the right tail feathers with a slightly beveled field at the tail feathers' edge, along with additional vertical polishing lines below the middle talon and on the right side of the eagle's left leg. These polishing lines — linear striations introduced during die maintenance — document an intentional intervention by Mint personnel who filed or polished the die face to extend its service life or remove unwanted marks. The "High O" component indicates the New Orleans O mintmark was hand-punched higher than the standard position within the reverse wreath. A significant cataloging note identifies this as the exact same VAM as the soon-to-be-former 1890-O VAM-2E, indicating an ongoing reclassification effort within the VAM community where duplicate listings are being consolidated under single designations. The Morgan Dollar was designed by George T. Morgan and struck at the New Orleans Mint in 1890 in 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter and a reeded edge. The 1890-O had a mintage of approximately 10.7 million pieces. The slightly beveled field at the tail feathers' edge is a particularly useful diagnostic because die beveling occurs when polishing removes enough surface metal to create a shallow depression at the boundary between high-relief design elements and the surrounding field, producing a subtle but measurable transition zone visible under oblique lighting conditions.

External References