1900-O VAM-2B1

Description

Classified as 2B1 III2 2 C3a and designated "Open 9, Polishing Lines Wing," this 1900-O Morgan Dollar documents a reverse die exhibiting heavy diagonal polishing lines in the middle of the eagle's left wing and near the eagle's body. These polishing lines resulted from die maintenance at the New Orleans Mint — when a die developed imperfections, personnel polished the surface to restore it, and the linear tool marks transferred to every coin struck afterward. The "Open 9" obverse refers to the numeral 9 in the date having an incomplete loop, distinguishing it from the closed-9 variant used for other 1900-O die pairings. This variety also comes with a gouged O in the word DOLLAR on the reverse, providing an additional diagnostic marker for attribution. The combination of polishing lines, open-9 obverse, and DOLLAR gouge gives VAM-2B1 multiple independent attribution points identifiable even when individual features are partially obscured by wear. The 1900-O was struck in large quantities at New Orleans, and die maintenance varieties like this one offer insight into the facility's production practices during its final years.

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