1899-S VAM-7

Description

A Top 100 Morgan Dollar VAM, this 1899-S variety stands among the most dramatically doubled San Francisco Morgan dates in the entire series and was discovered by Bill Fivaz in October 1973. Classification is III2 3 C3a, and the variety is named Doubled 1-99 for the three affected date digits. The 1 shows doubling below its upper crossbar — a subtle but confirmable secondary impression at the crossbar base. The first and second 9 are strongly doubled above and right, with parts of the original 99 visible within both the upper and lower loops of each digit — shadow impressions of the underlying hub that serve as unmistakable evidence of the doubling event. The shadow visibility within the loops is the feature that elevates VAM-7 above typical date doublings: the enclosed loops trap the secondary impression, making it visible without the oblique lighting that most surface doubling requires. The 1899-S Morgan Dollar was struck in 90% silver at the San Francisco Mint. VAM-7's extraordinary date doubling, Top 100 designation, and the visually accessible loop shadows make it one of the most sought-after attributions in the San Francisco Morgan series.

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