1897-P VAM-13

Description

Discovered by John Coxe in October 2014, VAM-13 identifies a Near Date variety on the 1897 Philadelphia Morgan Dollar, classified as 13 III2 12, C3a reverse. The date is set further left than normal — a positional variation that resulted from die preparation when the date logotype was punched into the working die at a location slightly offset from standard placement. Die markers include horizontal polishing lines on the back of Liberty's neck, evidence of die maintenance work performed during production. This variety was formerly designated VAM-6 before reclassification in the current catalog revision. A notable research finding links 1897-P VAM-13 and 1897-P VAM-12 as the exact same die pair — meaning both catalog entries document the same physical dies at potentially different die states or under different attribution criteria, a situation periodically encountered in VAM research as die marriage identification is refined. Philadelphia struck approximately 2.82 million Morgan Dollars in 1897, one of the lower-mintage Philadelphia dates that drives collector premium.

External References