1899-S VAM-14

Description

Discovered by R. Patchin in December 1999, this San Francisco Mint Morgan Dollar is designated VAM-14 under Classification 14 III2 1, C3i, with die pair 186. The reverse shows slight doubling on the arrow feathers, shafts, and heads along the lower edge, with some additional doubled feathers visible between the eagle's legs and on the right side of the eagle's left leg. The S mint mark is set slightly high and tilted far to the right, classified as a Type IV mint mark position. Collectors should note that not all examples exhibit a die chip on the left wreath, as this feature is die-stage dependent and only appears on specimens struck after sufficient die deterioration occurred to produce the chip. This stage variation means that the presence or absence of the left wreath die chip does not affect the VAM-14 attribution but rather indicates the production sequence of the individual coin. Struck in 90% silver and 10% copper, the 1899-S Morgan Dollar was produced near the end of the original Morgan Dollar series, which would conclude at most mints in 1904 before a brief revival in 1921. The San Francisco Mint's far-right tilted mint mark provides a strong visual diagnostic for this variety even before examining the subtle arrow feather doubling.

External References