1899-S VAM-9

Description

Discovered by Leonard Hinckley in February 1974, the 1899-S VAM-9 Morgan Dollar carries the revised classification III2 5 - C3f (Wide S Tilted Right, Thread Impression Jaw-Hair) with die pairing documented in the VAMWorld catalog. The obverse (III2 5) features closed 9s in the date along with some specimens showing a curved thread-like impression in the hair at the jaw — a distinctive die marker that appears as a fine raised line in the hair detail near Liberty's jawline, created by a thread or fiber that became embedded in the die surface during manufacturing or maintenance and left its impression on struck coins. Thread impressions are among the more unusual die anomalies cataloged on Morgan Dollars, as they represent foreign material contamination of the die face rather than mechanical misalignment or structural failure. The reverse (C3f) presents a large wide S mintmark with rounded top and bottom serifs, centered and tilted to the right within the wreath opening. The "Wide S" designation describes a visually larger S punch used for this particular working die, distinguishable from the smaller or narrower S punches used on other 1899-S dies. The Morgan Dollar was designed by George T. Morgan and struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1899 in 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter. Leonard Hinckley's 1974 discovery placed this among the earlier documented VAM varieties for the date, established during the formative period of VAM collecting when the Van Allen-Madison cataloging system was building its foundational reference base. The combination of the unusual thread impression and the distinctive wide tilted mintmark creates a dual-diagnostic variety with checkpoints on both coin faces.

External References