1897-S VAM-6A

Description

Discovered by Laurence Galbraith in July 2005, VAM-6A for the 1897 San Francisco Morgan Dollar carries the classification III2 4 with the designation C3b (Doubled 1, Clashed Obverse us). The defining feature is a clashed obverse die showing partial incuse letters "us" from the word Trust on the reverse, visible in the right hair vee of Liberty's portrait. Die clashes occur when obverse and reverse dies strike without a planchet between them, transferring reverse design elements onto the obverse die face in incuse form. The transferred "us" from Trust appears as a ghostly impression within the hair detail, providing a dramatic diagnostic. On the obverse die (III2 4), the 1 in the date is also doubled, combining date doubling with clash evidence to earn the C3b classification. Struck at the San Francisco Mint in George T. Morgan's 90% silver composition, the 1897-S was produced during the Gilded Age. The A suffix on VAM-6A indicates a die state variant of the base VAM-6 listing. Clashed die varieties on Morgan Dollars are popular with collectors because the transferred design elements create visually distinctive and easily identifiable markers. I do not think it is the same die pair as the 1897-S VAM-6.

External References