1900-S VAM-6A

Description

Discovered by Phil Perdue in March 2005 and revised in June 2011, the 1900-S VAM-6A Morgan Dollar is classified as III2 2 – C3d (Near Date, S Set High, Die Break Lower Hair, Gouge Star) with die pairing number 189. The obverse (III2 2) presents a die break in the hair above the first right star and a short slanted die gouge below the first right star — structural die damage in the portrait area that creates two prominent raised anomalies on struck coins. The "Near Date" designation indicates the date digits are positioned further left than normal, closer to Liberty's portrait. The reverse (C3d) features a wide V-shaped S mintmark set high within the wreath — a hand-punch placement distinctive to this working die. The emission sequence documents the obverse die paired across four varieties in order: VAM-17, VAM-6, VAM-6A, and VAM-6B — tracking how this obverse die progressed through multiple reverse die pairings during its production life, with VAM-6A representing a later die state where the die break in the hair and the star gouge had developed beyond the condition seen in the earlier VAM-6 pairing. A community note describes this as a "very-near/near date," providing collectors with a comparative date-position reference. The Morgan Dollar was struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1900 in 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter. George T. Morgan's design was in its twenty-third year. The progressive die deterioration documented across the VAM-17 through VAM-6B emission sequence provides a detailed timeline of how this specific obverse die's condition evolved through successive reverse die pairings at the San Francisco Mint.

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