1899-O VAM-12

Description

Attributed by the pioneering variety researcher Bill Fivaz in October 1973, VAM-12 stands among the earliest documented die marriages for the 1899 New Orleans Morgan Dollar, classified as III2 6 - C3b (Doubled 18-9). The obverse die preserves hub doubling across three date digits: the 1 is doubled on the bottom, the 8 shows doubling across the bottom and slightly at the inside top of each loop, and the second 9 is doubled at the bottom left inside of the upper loop. The Die Pair Identification System assigns this marriage the coordinates C3/B45C, providing an additional cataloging reference. Fivaz's early discovery date of 1973 places this attribution in the foundational era of VAM research, when Leroy Van Allen and A. George Mallis were building the classification framework that would eventually document thousands of Morgan Dollar die marriages. New Orleans produced approximately 12.29 million Morgan Dollars in 1899, and the hand-applied O mintmark on each working die adds mintmark positioning as a secondary area of study alongside the date doubling. The doubled date digits provide clear visual confirmation under 5x-7x magnification, making VAM-12 accessible to collectors who prefer varieties identifiable without specialized equipment.

External References