1890-S VAM-3

Description

Attributed to Leonard Hinckley following his February 1974 discovery, this 1890-S Morgan Dollar is cataloged as VAM-3 with the designation S/S Down, documenting a repunched mintmark where the S was first punched lower than its final position. The RPM shows as a curved line visible in the upper loop of the S mintmark, a diagnostic feature that can be confirmed under moderate magnification. Emission sequence data places this variety within a documented die usage progression: the obverse die is shared with 1890-S VAM-12.1, VAM-12.2/VAM-37, and VAM-3, establishing the order in which this obverse was paired with different reverse dies during production. The reverse die is shared with VAM-3 and VAM-16, further mapping the die marriage relationships for this San Francisco Mint issue. These emission sequences are valuable research tools that reveal how the Mint rotated and repaired dies during production runs. San Francisco Morgan Dollars from 1890 circulated heavily in Western commerce, and the S/S Down repunched mintmark on VAM-3 represents one of the more accessible RPM varieties for the date. =1890-S VAM-3 S/S Down= Discovered by Leonard Hinckley, February 1974.

External References