1897-S VAM-2.1
Error
Description
Discovered by George Mallis in November 1964 and revised in August 2009, this San Francisco Mint Morgan Dollar is designated VAM-2.1 (revised) under Classification III2 2, C3a, documenting a Doubled 18-7. On the obverse, the 1 shows a short spike below the top crossbar, the 8 is slightly doubled inside the upper loop, and the 7 is slightly doubled at the top as a short curved line. There are at least two reverses paired with this obverse die (VAM-2.1 and VAM-2.2), indicating the obverse outlasted its first reverse pairing and was matched with a replacement reverse during production. Struck in 90% silver at the San Francisco Mint, the 1897-S Morgan Dollar comes from a moderate-mintage year in the later period of original Morgan production. George Mallis's 1964 discovery makes this one of the earlier documented VAM varieties, predating the formal VAM cataloging system. The 2009 revision refined the attribution details, ensuring accurate classification under modern standards.
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