1898-P VAM-9

Description

Discovered by Martin Field in March 1983, this VAM-9 variety of the 1898 Philadelphia Mint Morgan Dollar is characterized by a slanted date with the numeral 1 positioned closest to the rim. The Van Allen-Mallis classification designates this as obverse die III2 number 9, with a C3a reverse pairing. The slanted date position indicates the four-digit logotype punch was applied to the working die at a slight angle during die preparation, causing the leftmost digit to sit lower relative to the denticles than the rightmost digits. VAM researchers have noted distinctive gouges at the top of the S and O in STATES OF on the reverse, providing a reliable "pick-up point" (PUP) for quick field identification without magnification. The 1898-P Morgan Dollar was struck during the Gilded Age at the Philadelphia Mint, the only year the New Orleans and San Francisco facilities also produced the date. Philadelphia's 1898 mintage of 5.884 million was a moderate production run for the series. The Morgan Dollar, designed by George T. Morgan, had been in continuous production since 1878 and would continue through 1904 before a final revival in 1921. VAM collecting represents one of the most sophisticated die variety subspecialties in American numismatics, with over 5,000 documented varieties across the Morgan Dollar series.

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