1898-O VAM-1

Description

Assigned the VAM-1 Normal Die designation for the 1898-O Morgan dollar, this baseline variety establishes the standard die characteristics against which all other die varieties for this New Orleans Mint issue are compared. The Van Allen-Mallis classification III2 1 C3a describes the diagnostic die features: an open 9 in the date, meaning the loop of the numeral 9 does not close completely, and a medium size class III O mint mark positioned centered and upright beneath the wreath on the reverse. New Orleans struck approximately 4.44 million Morgan dollars in 1898, a respectable mintage during the late period of Morgan dollar production under the Sherman Silver Purchase Act's successor legislation. George T. Morgan's obverse design, featuring his iconic Liberty head with Phrygian cap and coronet wreath, paired with the heraldic eagle reverse bearing the national motto E PLURIBUS UNUM above, had been in continuous service since 1878 — two full decades by the time of this 1898-O issue. Normal Die varieties in the VAM system serve a critical cataloging function by establishing what the "standard" die pairing looks like for each date and mint. Without a documented normal baseline, attributing sub-varieties becomes subjective — collectors need to know what the mint mark should look like in its centered, upright, medium III configuration to recognize when a mint mark has been repunched, tilted, or shows other positional anomalies. The open 9 diagnostic is particularly important for 1890s Morgan dollars because several dates exhibit both open and closed 9 variants that correspond to different date punches or punch positions. The 1898-O remains a common date in the Morgan series, widely available in circulated grades and moderately scarce in Mint State, making it an accessible entry point for collectors beginning VAM attribution work who need abundant, affordable specimens to practice their diagnostic skills.

External References