1904-O VAM-1

Description

Representing the Normal Die variety for the 1904-O Morgan Dollar, VAM-1 serves as the baseline die marriage against which all other 1904-O VAM numbers are compared. The obverse die type III2 1 displays a closed 9 in the date with otherwise unremarkable die characteristics typical of the standard III2 obverse hub. The reverse die C4a is a normal example of the C4 reverse type, carrying a medium size III O mintmark centered and upright beneath the eagle's tail feathers. The 1904-O holds special significance as the final New Orleans Mint Morgan Dollar issue before the series was discontinued — no Morgan Dollars would be struck again until the 1921 resumption of production, and New Orleans never participated in that revival. This makes every 1904-O die marriage a product of the last year the famed New Orleans facility contributed to the Morgan Dollar series. While VAM-1 Normal Die varieties do not carry the premium associated with dramatic doubled dies or repunched mintmarks, they serve an essential cataloging function by establishing the standard appearance for each date and mint combination.

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