1900-O VAM-2A

Description

Identified by Leroy Van Allen in October 1982, this 1900-O Morgan Dollar VAM-2A is characterized by an Open 9 in the date and prominent polishing lines around the wheat stalks on the obverse. Classified as obverse die III2 2, the die exhibits heavy die polishing lines encircling the wheat stalks — evidence of Mint personnel attempting to extend the die's service life by polishing away minor surface imperfections, a common maintenance practice that inadvertently created a collectible diagnostic feature. The original plate photograph from Leroy Van Allen is believed to represent the late die state of this variety, which was subsequently redesignated VAM-2A2 when the late die state showing die breaks was recognized as a distinct substage in 2015. This redesignation illustrates how the VAM catalog evolves as new die state information emerges. The 1900-O New Orleans Mint Morgan Dollar saw strong production numbers, and die polishing varieties from this facility are well documented across multiple dates, reflecting the heavy use that New Orleans dies endured during the final years of nineteenth-century silver dollar coinage. =1900-O VAM-2A Open 9, Polishing Lines Wheat= Discovered by Leroy Van Allen, October 1982.

External References