1884-S VAM-4A

Description

Discovered by Martin Field in February 1979 and revised, the 1884-S VAM-4A is classified III2 2 - C3a with DPIS 187. Named Far Date, Die Chips Wreaths, this San Francisco Mint Morgan dollar features an obverse with the date set further right than normal, while the reverse C3a die develops die chips in the wreaths across multiple emission stages. Earlier die states show only a break in the left wreath bough; later stages also develop a break in the right bough as illustrated. A second die chip appears in the left wreath opposite NI of UNITED in some die states. The DPIS 187 code links this variety within the established die pair inventory system used by VAMWorld researchers. The 1884-S Morgan dollar was struck in 90% silver at the San Francisco Mint and had a mintage of just over 3 million coins — a modest figure that makes S-mint Morgans from this era somewhat challenging to locate in high grade. The progressive nature of the wreath die chips across the emission sequence makes die staging an interesting component of attributing this variety.

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