1897-S VAM-2

Description

Discovered by George Mallis in November 1964 and revised in August 2009, the 1897-S VAM-2 Morgan Dollar carries the updated classification III2 2 - C3a (Doubled 18-7), documenting doubled date digits on this San Francisco Mint issue. The obverse (III2 2) exhibits three independently doubled date digits: the 1 shows a short spike below the top crossbar created by the secondary impression, the 8 is slightly doubled inside the upper loop, and the 7 is slightly doubled at the top as a short curved line. Each digit's doubling manifests differently — a spike on the 1, interior thickening on the 8, and a curved line on the 7 — because the hub displacement vector produces varying visual effects depending on each digit's shape, orientation, and position on the die face. The VAMWorld commentary notes that at least two reverses have been paired with this obverse die, documented as 1897-S VAM-2.1 and VAM-2.2, confirming that the distinctive doubled obverse die was used with multiple reverse dies during production. The reverse (C3a) is a normal die. George T. Morgan designed this coin, struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1897 in 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter. The 1897-S had a mintage of approximately 5.8 million pieces. George Mallis' 1964 discovery places this among the earlier documented VAM varieties, and the 2009 revision updated the variety's classification to reflect refined understanding of the doubling characteristics. The existence of multiple reverse pairings (VAM-2.1 and VAM-2.2) demonstrates that this doubled obverse die had an extended service life, surviving long enough to be paired with at least two different reverse dies during production operations.

External References