1879-S VAM-7A

Description

Designated as a sub-variety of VAM-7 through its letter suffix, the 1879-S VAM-7A documents a die state variation within a specific die pairing for the 1879 San Francisco Morgan Dollar. In VAM nomenclature, letter suffixes appended to a base number typically indicate progressive die states — changes as a die wears through production, develops clash marks, undergoes repolishing, or acquires new scratches during handling. VAM-7A shares the same fundamental die combination as VAM-7 but exhibits a distinct diagnostic profile reflecting a different point in that die pair's working life. The San Francisco Mint's production of 9,110,000 Morgan Dollars in 1879 generated extensive die usage, and the 1879-S date's reputation for variety richness — anchored by its celebrated reverse type differences — has attracted the sustained scrutiny that identifies die state progressions like the VAM-7 to VAM-7A distinction. George T. Morgan's design was struck in 90% silver at 26.73 grams on 38.1mm planchets. Attribution requires confirming both the base VAM-7 die combination and the specific state-related features that distinguish the A suffix from the parent entry.

External References