1890-O VAM-18

Description

Discovered by Martin Field in January 1985, the 1890-O VAM-18 is classified as a Doubled Wreath variety with the die pairing III2 1 and reverse designation C3h. The reverse die exhibits several distinctive features: the mint mark is set higher than normal position, both the left and right wreaths show slight doubling toward the rim, and the letters N-G-W-U in the motto are slightly doubled — collectively indicating that the reverse die received a secondary hub impression with a minor outward shift during the die-making process. The 1890-O Morgan Dollar was struck at the New Orleans Mint with a production of approximately 10.7 million coins, a strong output year for the facility that contributed significantly to the massive silver dollar stockpiles that accumulated in Treasury vaults throughout the late nineteenth century. Martin Field was one of the pioneering researchers in the VAM cataloging effort, and his 1985 discovery of VAM-18 came during a period of rapid expansion in the Morgan Dollar variety catalog. The doubled wreath feature represents doubling of one of the most intricate design elements on the Morgan reverse — the elaborate cotton, wheat, and olive wreath that encircles the heraldic eagle — and detecting this subtle wreath doubling requires careful comparison against known normal examples. The high mint mark placement provides an additional visual cue that can help collectors identify this die before resorting to magnified examination of the wreath doubling, making VAM-18 one of the more approachable varieties for the 1890-O date.

External References