1889-O VAM-13

Description

Discovered by Guy Messing in July 1976, the 1889-O VAM-13 Morgan Dollar is designated as a Far Date variety under classification 13 III2 8 - C3a (181), indicating that the date numerals are positioned further to the right than standard die placement. The Type III2 obverse with subtype 8 carries the far date positioning as its defining diagnostic, and die chips between the loops of the first 8 (left and right positions) may be present depending on the die state — a progressive die marker that helps determine when in the production sequence a particular specimen was struck. The New Orleans Mint produced approximately 11.9 million Morgan Dollars in 1889, continuing the sustained output that made the O-mint a major source of silver dollars throughout the 1880s. New Orleans Morgan Dollars are frequently characterized by softer strikes than their Philadelphia and San Francisco counterparts, a trait attributed to the facility's equipment maintenance practices and the general working conditions at the Southern branch mint. The reverse carries a C3a normal die designation, meaning the variety's primary diagnostic interest lies in the obverse date positioning rather than any reverse anomaly. Date positioning varieties on Morgan Dollars result from the placement of the date logotype during die preparation — a process that could produce subtle left-right and height variations across different working dies. VAM-13's far date placement creates a measurable offset from the standard position that, once identified, becomes a reliable attribution marker across all die states.

External References