1891-S VAM-5B

Description

Heavy die polishing lines covering the entirety of the reverse fields define VAM-5B of the 1891-S Morgan Dollar, a variety discovered by Michael Ash in August 2005. Cataloged as plate 5B III24 with a C3a reverse die class, this variety pairs a Far Date obverse positioning with the extensively polished reverse that gives it the designation Polishing Lines Reverse. Die polishing was a routine Mint maintenance procedure performed to remove clash marks, minor rust, or surface irregularities from working dies and extend their useful life. When polishing was applied aggressively, it left visible linear marks across the die surface that transferred as incuse lines on every subsequently struck coin. The heaviness of the polishing on the VAM-5B reverse indicates particularly vigorous maintenance, and the fact that the polished die remained in service confirms that the San Francisco Mint deemed the lines acceptable for continued production. The 1891-S Morgan Dollar is among the later dates in the original Morgan series before the 1893 hiatus. Attributed by VAMWorld.

External References