1889-S VAM-5A

Description

Discovered in 2013 by Roger Bradshaw, the 1889-S VAM-5A Morgan Dollar is classified as a Far Date, High 9 variety with a die break at the 8, bearing the technical designation III2 3 - C3a and die pairing number 184. The obverse die (III2 3) exhibits a radial die break at the right side of the 8 with visible field displacement — a diagnostic feature where the metal adjacent to the break has been pushed outward by the progressive failure of the die surface. The "5A" suffix indicates this is a sub-variety of VAM-5, sharing the same basic obverse characteristics (far date position, high 9) but distinguished by the additional die break that developed as the obverse die deteriorated through continued use. The San Francisco Mint struck approximately 700,000 Morgan Dollars in 1889, a modest mintage that makes the 1889-S a better date in the series regardless of VAM attribution. The far date position means the date numerals are set farther from the rim than the normal die, and the high 9 indicates the final digit sits above its standard vertical position — both characteristics that resulted from specific date punch placement during die preparation. The C3a reverse classification indicates a standard die pairing. VAM (Van Allen-Mallis) classification provides the definitive cataloging system for Morgan and Peace Dollar die varieties, and the discovery of VAM-5A in 2013 — well over a century after the coins were struck — demonstrates that new varieties continue to emerge as advanced imaging technology and growing collector expertise push the boundaries of attribution.

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