1890-S VAM-10D

Description

Discovered by John Baumgart in January 2006, the 1890-S Morgan Dollar VAM-10D was subsequently eliminated from the active VAM listing in 2016 when it was determined to be the same die as VAM-1I die 1 — a reclassification that collectors tracking earlier references should note to avoid duplicate attributions. Before elimination, this variety was cataloged as 10D III2 3 - C3a (Far Date, Enlarged Berry Die Break) with Rarity Scale 190, combining a far date position on the obverse with a reverse die crack through the middle and upper right wreath that produced a break at the second left berry from the top, enlarging it. The die crack-induced berry enlargement is a visually compelling diagnostic: the break caused metal displacement that expanded the berry beyond its normal dimensions, making it appear swollen compared to adjacent berries in the wreath. The 1890-S Morgan Dollar was struck at the San Francisco Mint with a mintage of approximately 8.23 million pieces during the Gilded Age era of American coinage. Although eliminated as a separate VAM, the die characteristics described under VAM-10D remain valid for identifying the specific die state — they simply now fall under the VAM-1I catalog entry. The Morgan Dollar VAM system occasionally consolidates listings as researchers discover that what were initially cataloged as separate die marriages are actually different die states of the same die pair, and these reclassifications represent the ongoing refinement of a catalog that has been continuously maintained since Leroy Van Allen and A. George Mallis established the system in 1971.

External References