1890-S VAM-1J

Description

Discovered by Lance Newman at OCC in 2016, the 1890-S VAM-1J carries die classification III 2 1 with attribution code C3A and die number 190, titled Die Breaks Right Wreath. The reverse exhibits small die breaks in the right wreath opposite AR in DOLLAR and CA in AMERICA. A fine radial die crack extends from the denticles at RI in AMERICA, though at this state no displaced field break has developed — indicating intermediate deterioration before the crack widened enough to displace adjacent metal. A notable die pairing relationship exists with VAM-7 Die 1, which shares the exact same obverse and reverse dies but in a different die state, making the two varieties distinguishable only by progressive wear and crack development rather than die identity. The 1890-S Morgan Dollar was struck at the San Francisco Mint during the Gilded Age, when silver dollar production was driven by political mandates under the Bland-Allison Act. The shared-die connection between VAM-1J and VAM-7 Die 1 offers researchers a comparative die state study within the 1890-S catalog.

External References