1890-S VAM-10

Description

Discovered by Edwin Miller in January 1970, the 1890-S VAM-10 Far Date is classified as 10 III2 3 - C3a with die pairing number 190. The obverse (III2 3) features a date set further right than normal — a positional variety resulting from the date logotype being punched into the working die at a location shifted rightward from the standard position, creating a measurable gap difference between the date and the rim or other reference points. The reverse (C3a) presents a centered, upright mintmark with some specimens showing a die break in the left wreath opposite the I in UNITED — a progressive die failure documented on later die state examples. This variety shares the exact same obverse die as the 1890-S VAM-10F, though with a different reverse die — a die-sharing relationship that aids attributors in classifying incomplete or ambiguous specimens by confirming the obverse identification and then differentiating through reverse features. George T. Morgan's design was struck in 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter at the San Francisco Mint. The 1890-S Morgan Dollar had a production of approximately 8.23 million pieces, a solid mintage that places it in the middle tier of San Francisco Morgan Dollar availability. Edwin Miller's 1970 discovery of the Far Date variety represents early-era VAM research, predating the publication of Van Allen and Mallis's comprehensive reference work that would systematize Morgan Dollar die variety attribution into the framework used today. The far date positioning is most efficiently confirmed by comparing the distance between the rightmost date digit and the adjacent denticles against a normal-date specimen of the same year and mint.

External References