1897-O VAM-7

Description

Discovered by Martin Field in July 1983, VAM-7 on the 1897-O Morgan Dollar carries the designation III2 3 with reverse C3c and the title "(Very) Near Date, High O," where the parenthetical "Very" emphasizes that this date position is further left than even the standard "Near Date" classification — the numerals 1897 sit much further left than normal, placing them closer to Liberty's bust truncation and the lower denticles than on any other documented 1897-O die pairing. The catalogue identification number 181 positions this within the VAMWorld registry. The reverse C3c designation identifies a mintmark set upright and high, distinguishing this O placement from the tilted, centered, or lower positions found on other reverse dies used with 1897-O Morgan Dollars. An important cross-reference note establishes that VAM-7 and VAM-7A were both struck from the exact same pair of dies, meaning the two VAM numbers represent different die states of an identical die marriage rather than different die pairings — a common occurrence in VAM cataloging where progressive die deterioration features (such as developing cracks, polishing, or clash marks) warrant separate designations to document the die's evolution through its production life. Struck at the New Orleans Mint in 90% silver at 26.73 grams, the 1897-O Morgan Dollar had a mintage of approximately 4.0 million pieces, making it a lower-mintage issue in the series. The extreme leftward date position — emphasized by the "(Very)" modifier — is the fastest attribution diagnostic: comparing the gap between the leading digit 1 and the nearest bust or denticle feature against reference images of normal-position dates immediately identifies candidates for VAM-7 classification, after which the upright high O mintmark confirms the reverse die assignment.

External References