1898-S VAM-18
Error
Description
Documented in 2012, this San Francisco Mint Morgan Dollar is cataloged as VAM-18 with die pair classification III2 1 - C3i. The defining characteristic is a high-set S mintmark tilted to the right — placing the identifying letter above its standard location and rotated clockwise from vertical. Mintmark position varieties are a cornerstone of Morgan Dollar collecting because each branch mint's hand-punching process produced unique placement and orientation results. The combination of high placement and rightward tilt indicates the punch was simultaneously misaligned in two axes when impressed into the working die. Die marker: a long vertical polishing line at the top middle of the eagle's left wing on the reverse helps confirm attribution by identifying the specific die pair. Polishing lines result from die maintenance procedures where the Mint used abrasive tools to remove clash marks or surface imperfections, and their presence often serves as the most reliable secondary diagnostic for die identification in the Morgan Dollar series.
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