1899-S VAM-16

Description

Featuring an S mintmark positioned higher than normal and set upright, this San Francisco Morgan Dollar variety was discovered in July 2008 and designated "High S, Die Scratches Wing." Classified as VAM-16 III2-1 C3j, the reverse exhibits multiple diagnostics: the high, upright V S mintmark, slightly doubled leaves of the right wreath shifted towards the rim, and diagonal die scratches on the lower inside of the eagle's left wing. The doubled wreath leaves indicate the reverse hub was displaced slightly during die manufacture, while the die scratches on the eagle's wing represent physical marks on the die surface — likely from tool contact during preparation — that transferred to every coin struck. San Francisco struck over 2.5 million Morgan Dollars in 1899, and hand-punched mintmarks were inherently variable in their vertical positioning, with this particular die receiving its S punch noticeably above the standard centered location. The combination of high mintmark placement, wreath doubling, and wing die scratches gives attributors three independent diagnostics for confirming this variety.

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