1892-S VAM-15

Description

Discovered in December 2023 by Ed Pope, the 1892-S VAM-15 Morgan Dollar is cataloged as 15 III2 10 - C3f, designated a Doubled Ear, S Set Right variety. On the obverse (III2 10), Liberty's ear is strongly doubled at the lower inside — a distinctive hub doubling feature where the ear detail shows clear separation between primary and secondary impressions, providing the variety's most prominent diagnostic. The date is set in the normal position for this die pairing. Obverse die markers include small marks inside the TY of LIBERTY, useful secondary confirmation points when attributing this variety under magnification. The reverse (C3f) features an S mintmark set slightly right and upright from its standard position, a placement variation resulting from the hand-punching of mintmarks into individual working dies during this era. Heavy polishing lines are visible between the lower half of the eagle's left wing and body on the reverse, evidence of die maintenance performed at the San Francisco Mint during the die's service life. The DPIS (Die Pair Identification System) rating is LH3/RE4. George T. Morgan designed the Morgan Dollar, which was struck in 90% silver and 10% copper at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter and reeded edge. The 1892-S is a lower-mintage issue from the San Francisco facility during the Gilded Age, a period when silver coinage policy shaped national politics. As a very recent discovery from late 2023, this VAM may be significantly underrepresented in census data and population reports, creating potential opportunities for knowledgeable collectors to locate unattributed examples in dealer inventories and raw coin lots.

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