1898-S VAM-11

Description

Cataloged as VAM-11 with the designation III2 7 - C3a, this 1898 San Francisco Mint Morgan Dollar displays a near slanted date with the numeral 1 positioned closest to the rim. Discovered by Leroy Van Allen himself in September 1983, this variety carries the authority of one of the two co-creators of the entire VAM classification system. The obverse die (III2 7) shows the date set in a near position with a slight slant, creating a measurable tilt across the four date numerals that distinguishes it from the normal upright date positioning. The reverse die (C3a) features a medium-sized S mintmark that is centered and upright — one of several distinct mintmark positions and sizes documented for San Francisco Morgan Dollars. The diagnostic code (187) provides an additional reference number within the VAM catalog. The 1898-S Morgan Dollar had a mintage of 4.1 million pieces, a moderate figure for San Francisco that makes it neither a key date nor a common issue. George T. Morgan's Liberty Head design, inspired by Philadelphia schoolteacher Anna Willess Williams, was in its twentieth year of production by 1898. Near date varieties on Morgan Dollars are identified by measuring the gap between the date numerals and the denticles at the coin's rim — a near date sits closer to the rim than the normal position, and the combination with slanting creates a distinctive visual signature for attribution.

External References