1900-S VAM-5

Description

With dual discoverer credits — the obverse identified by Maurice Dubreuil in February 1975 and the reverse by Neil Shafer in November 1964 — the 1900-S VAM-5 "Near Date" Morgan dollar documents a die pairing where the date numerals sit closer to the rim than standard placement. Cataloged as 5 III2 2 · C3a (Near Date) with die number 189, this variety pairs Obverse III2 2 with a Reverse C3a — a normal C3-type reverse carrying a wide V S mintmark. George T. Morgan's silver dollar was struck at San Francisco with an approximate mintage of 3.54 million coins in 1900, a moderate output that positions this date in the mid-range of S-mint Morgan dollar production. The "near date" diagnostic refers to the vertical distance between the date numerals and the lower rim — on VAM-5, this distance is measurably smaller than on standard obverse dies, placing the date closer to the coin's edge. Date position diagnostics represent one of the foundational classification tools in the VAM system, as the placement of date numerals (which were hand-punched into working dies for most of the Morgan dollar series) varied naturally between dies based on the engraver's positioning of the date punch. Neil Shafer's 1964 identification of the distinctive reverse predates the formal VAM system by nearly a decade, representing some of the earliest systematic die variety research on Morgan dollars. The wide V S mintmark on the Reverse C3a identifies a specific S letter punch characterized by wider-than-normal letter proportions, providing a reverse-side diagnostic that complements the near-date obverse feature. Maurice Dubreuil's 1975 obverse discovery completed the die marriage documentation by linking the near-date obverse to Shafer's previously identified reverse. Collectors should measure the date-to-rim gap against reference specimens to confirm the near position, and check the S mintmark proportions for the wide characteristic.

External References