1890-P VAM-1A

Description

Identified by Jerry Robertson in August 2004, this Philadelphia Mint Morgan Dollar die state variant is designated VAM-1A and described as "Die Gouge Below Wing" for its primary diagnostic feature. The reverse exhibits a diagonal die gouge below the eagle's right wing inner feather, accompanied by a short die gouge on the left side of the neck — two distinct gouge marks that together provide reliable attribution points. Die gouges differ from die cracks in that they result from physical damage to the die surface, typically from foreign material striking the die face or from tool marks during die maintenance, rather than from the progressive metal fatigue that produces cracks. The VAM plate notation 1A III21 - C3a and die pair 190 place this variety within the Van Allen-Mallis cataloging system. The "A" suffix designates this as a die state following the original VAM-1, with the die gouges serving as the distinguishing features of the later state. The 1890 Philadelphia Morgan Dollar was struck during the final years of the Bland-Allison Act era, when the Mint was producing large quantities of silver dollars that were often stored in Treasury vaults rather than entering circulation.

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