1904-P VAM-1

Description

Representing the Normal Die baseline for the final year of the original Morgan Dollar production run, the 1904-P VAM-1 documents the standard die pairing from the last Philadelphia Mint Morgan Dollars before the series entered a seventeen-year hiatus. The obverse is classified as type III2, die number 1, with a closed loop on the numeral 9 in the date — where the tail of the 9 curls to form a complete enclosed space. The reverse carries die designation C4a, representing the normal die configuration for the C4 reverse type. Production of Morgan Dollars ceased after 1904 due to the exhaustion of silver bullion purchased under the Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890, and the series would not resume until a brief revival in 1921. The 1904-P had a mintage of 2,788,650 — relatively low for a Philadelphia Mint issue, making it a semi-key date in higher grades. George T. Morgan's design, with Lady Liberty's portrait on the obverse and the heraldic eagle on the reverse, had been in continuous production since 1878 when this final pre-hiatus issue was struck. Composed of 90% silver at 26.73 grams and 38.1mm diameter. As the Normal Die VAM, this variety defines the baseline die characteristics — all other 1904-P varieties are distinguished by their deviations from this standard configuration.

External References