1891-P VAM-6A

Description

Discovered in 2011 and cataloged by VAMWorld as 6A III2 6 - C3a, the 1891-P VAM-6A Morgan dollar variety features a slanted date combined with denticle impressions below the tail feathers. The Morgan dollar, designed by George T. Morgan and produced from 1878 through 1921, was struck in 90% silver and 10% copper, weighing 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter and a reeded edge. Philadelphia produced 8,694,206 Morgan dollars in 1891, a moderate mintage for the series. The reverse classification C3a identifies the key diagnostic: three raised dots in a horizontal line below the right tail feathers, spaced at intervals matching the denticle pattern along the rim. These dots were created when denticle impressions from the collar or die transferred onto the reverse die surface in the tail feather area, a manufacturing anomaly that left a permanent and reproducible marker on every coin struck from this die. The die marker for this variety is a short horizontal polishing line extending from the eagle's beak, evidence of die maintenance performed during the die's service life. The slanted date on the obverse, classified as III2, indicates the date digits were punched at a slight angle rather than perfectly horizontal, a common positional variation in Morgan dollar dates that were individually hand-punched into working dies. The combination of a slanted date on the obverse and denticle impressions on the reverse from two different dies creates a unique die marriage that defines VAM-6A. Struck during the Gilded Age of rapid industrialization and the great silver debates, when monetary policy shaped elections, this Philadelphia issue comes from a period of intense national discussion about bimetallism and the role of silver coinage in the American economy.

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