1896-S VAM-1

Description

Serving as the standard reference die pairing for the 1896-S Morgan dollar, VAM-1 is cataloged as 1 III2 1 · C3a (Normal Die) with die number 186. The Obverse III2 1 designation identifies a normal die of the III2 obverse type, while the Reverse C3a describes a normal C3-type reverse with a medium size IV S mintmark that is centered and upright. San Francisco struck approximately 5.0 million Morgan dollars in 1896, a moderate mintage that places this date in the mid-range of S-mint Morgan dollar production. The medium IV S mintmark classification provides a repeatable diagnostic: the S letter punch falls into the fourth identified size category for San Francisco mintmarks, positioned centrally beneath the eagle's tail feathers without lateral offset or angular tilt. Normal die VAMs function as catalog anchors within the VAM system, documenting die pairs that exhibit standard characteristics against which unusual features on other specimens can be evaluated. The III2 obverse type identification reflects the chronological evolution of Morgan dollar obverse hubs, with each Roman numeral and subscript designating a specific hub generation characterized by subtle differences in Liberty's portrait details — hair strand patterns, ear shape, and other elements that changed as hubs were remade over the series' 1878-1921 production span. The C3 reverse type similarly tracks reverse hub evolution through the series. Establishing these baseline classifications for every date-mint combination enables researchers to identify anomalous die characteristics by comparison, forming the foundation upon which the entire VAM variety catalog is constructed. DPIS and emission sequence data remain unlisted, leaving the production chronology for this die pair as an open research question.

External References