1904-O VAM-1B1

Description

Classified as III2 1 C4a revised (Pitting in OL) with die pair 189, the 1904 New Orleans Mint Morgan Dollar VAM-1B1 documents die surface deterioration in the OL area alongside shared die relationships with other varieties. Struck in 90% silver, the pitting in OL represents localized die surface breakdown where small cavities in the die produced raised bumps on struck coins. The reverse die features shared with VAMs 4A and 5A establish that multiple die marriages employed the same reverse, documenting the Mint's practice of pairing individual reverse dies with successive obverse dies. When this reverse die clashed, it produced VAM-4B, and a counter clash of the wreath leaf records reciprocal design transfer between dies. The 1904-O Morgan Dollar belongs to the final year of regular New Orleans Mint silver dollar production, as the series would not resume there until the single 1921-O issue. George T. Morgan's design on this terminal regular-issue New Orleans dollar provides the framework where the pitting diagnostic and the shared reverse die network create an interconnected attribution web linking VAM-1B1 to multiple related die marriages within the 1904-O census. =1904-O VAM-1B1 Pitting in OL= Discovery 2007 1B1(revised) III2 1 · C4a (Pitting in OL) (189) Reverse C4a– Pitted die around OL in DOLLAR as in VAMs 4A & 5A with heavy die polishing lines in eagle’s wings and tail feathers. Small vertical die gouge next to eagle’s left wing edge opposite top of right wreath.

External References