1899-O VAM-17

Description

Discovered by Martin Field in October 1978, VAM-17 for the 1899-O Morgan Dollar carries the designation "Near Date, High O" with the full catalog notation "17 III2 3 - C3e (Near Date, High O) (181)." The obverse III2 3 designation indicates a die with the date set further left than normal — the "Near Date" characteristic that serves as the primary obverse diagnostic. The reverse C3e describes the mint mark placement: the O is set upright and very high relative to its normal position between the eagle's tail feathers. The DPIS (Die Pair Identification System) code B23C provides an additional attribution framework. The 1899-O Morgan Dollar was struck at the New Orleans Mint, which operated from 1838 through 1909 and was known for its distinctive mint mark placement variations. Because mint marks were hand-punched into individual working dies, the position, tilt, and depth of the O varied from die to die, creating the mint mark placement varieties that form a major category of Morgan Dollar VAM research. Martin Field's 1978 discovery came during the early years of the VAM attribution system, which Leroy Van Allen and A. George Mallis had formally introduced with their 1971 reference guide. The number 181 in parentheses provides a sequential catalog position. The high mint mark position on the reverse and the leftward date placement on the obverse create two independent diagnostic points for confident attribution of this die pair. New Orleans Mint Morgan Dollars are among the most actively collected and researched in the series due to their distinctive production characteristics and the storied history of the facility.

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