1898-S VAM-3

Description

Originally discovered by George Mallis in July 1964, VAM-3 for the 1898-S Morgan Dollar is one of the earliest documented varieties for this date-mint combination. Revised classification reads III29 with reverse C3b, designated "S/S Center, Doubled 1." The obverse (III29) shows the 1 in the date doubled below the upper crossbar, with the left edge of the 1's base centered over the third denticle from the neck point — a precise positional measurement that anchors the date placement relative to surrounding design elements. The reverse (C3b) exhibits a Class IV S mintmark doubled below the center shaft, indicating the mintmark punch was impressed twice with slight vertical displacement. The DPIS field is left unresolved. San Francisco struck 4.1 million Morgan Dollars in 1898, a moderate mintage that keeps the date accessible while limiting the population of any given die variety. Mallis's 1964 discovery predates the formal Van Allen-Mallis classification system by years, illustrating how early die variety research contributed to the framework that became the VAM catalog.

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