1891-O VAM-9

Description

Discovered by Edwin Miller in January 1970, the 1891-O Morgan Dollar VAM-9 is designated Far Date, High O — two independent die characteristics that together form the attribution signature for this New Orleans Mint variety. The date is set further to the right than normal for 1891-O and is slanted, with the second 1 positioned higher than the first 1 — a rocking or slanted placement of the date logotype into the die. The O mintmark is set higher than the standard position, placed above the normal mintmark guide but not reaching the elevated level of the Very High Mintmark position seen in VAM-19 (C3i designation). The mintmark position is described as upright — neither tilted left nor right — distinguishing it from varieties where the mintmark itself is angled. The 90% silver 1891-O Morgan Dollar was struck at the New Orleans Mint, which produced large quantities of Morgans through this period for southern and western circulation. VAM-9's combination of a right-leaning slanted date with a high, upright mintmark gives it a distinctive profile among the 1891-O varieties cataloged in the Van Allen-Mallis reference.

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