1904-P VAM-6A

Description

Discovered by Brent Fogelberg in April 2003, the 1904-P VAM-6A Morgan Dollar is classified as III26 · C4a (Doubled Profile, Pitted Obverse & Reverse) with die pairing number 189, formerly designated as VAM-1A before being reclassified. The obverse (III26) is slightly pitted below the B and between the UR in PLURIBUS — surface texture caused by die corrosion or rusting where moisture exposure created pits in the die steel that produce raised dots on struck coins. The reverse (C4a) shows pitting around the D and below the LL in DOLLAR, above the N in ONE, and to the right of the last S in STATES, documenting corrosion-related surface deterioration across multiple areas of the reverse die face. The "Doubled Profile" component of the designation indicates subtle hub doubling visible on Liberty's facial profile, adding a die-manufacturing variety dimension to the die-condition (pitting) features that dominate the visual appearance. The Morgan Dollar was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1904, the penultimate year of the original Morgan Dollar production run before the series was suspended after 1904 and not resumed until 1921. Composed of 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter, the 1904-P had a mintage of approximately 2.8 million pieces — a lower figure that contributes to the date's relative scarcity. George T. Morgan's design was in its 27th year. The bilateral pitting across both obverse and reverse suggests the die pair may have been stored together in conditions allowing moisture exposure, or that both dies independently experienced similar environmental conditions during their service at the Philadelphia Mint. VAMWorld documents this variety with Fogelberg's attribution work.

External References