1897-S VAM-21

Description

Counterclashed lips define the obverse of this 1897-S Morgan Dollar die marriage, classified III2 1 - C3? with the question mark reflecting ongoing uncertainty about the complete reverse die characteristics. Die clash marks were polished off the obverse except at Liberty's lips, where a counterclash impression remains — a phenomenon distinct from ordinary clashing in that it involves a multi-step transfer where design elements bounce between dies through intermediate impressions on struck coins. The reverse carries designation C3g, identified by a horizontal die gouge running through the bow of the wreath. San Francisco struck 5,825,000 Morgan Dollars in 1897, a moderate mintage that places this date in the middle tier of S-mint production. The obverse die is shared with 1897-S VAM-1B, establishing a die linkage that helps researchers map the sequence of die pairings used during the 1897-S production run. Counterclash varieties are particularly valued by advanced Morgan Dollar collectors because they document a specific production sequence: a clashed die strikes coins, those coins then transfer the clash impression back to the opposing die when struck by a fresh die, creating a secondary transferred image that preserves forensic evidence of the mint's die management practices during the late nineteenth century.

External References