1899-S VAM-4

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Verified LegacyVAM Variety

Market Value

N/A

Rarity Index

N/A

Discovery Date

1899

Last Sold

N/A

Description

Discovered by George Mallis in July 1964, the 1899-S VAM-4 is designated the Spiked S variety under classification 4 III2 1 - C3d. The obverse die III2 1 features open 9s in the date, while the reverse die C3d carries a wide, large S mint mark tilted to the right with a prominent spike extending from its top. George Mallis was a pioneering researcher in Morgan Dollar die varieties whose foundational work alongside Leroy Van Allen produced the VAM classification system that remains the standard reference today. Notably, die marriage research indicates that this reverse die was shared across three different obverse pairings: VAM-4, VAM-6, and VAM-17, and close examination suggests all three may represent the same die pair. The spiked mint mark is the primary diagnostic, as the wide spike protruding from the top of the tilted S is visible without strong magnification. With a mintage of 2.56 million pieces, the 1899-S Morgan Dollar offers collectors a realistic chance of locating this variety through careful searching of uncertified examples.