1899-S VAM-18A

Description

Discovered in 2017 by "CascadeChris" Simpson, the 1899-S VAM-18A Morgan Dollar is designated Doubled 8 Top Loop, High S Tilted Right, Die Break Left Wreath, and classified under die marriage III2 9 with reverse die C3k. The reverse die C3k exhibits a large die break in the left wreath opposite the letters NI in the legend, a substantial failure that likely contributed to the early retirement of this die pair. This variety occurs in a Very Early Die State, Proof-Like (VEDS PL) condition, suggesting the die produced coins with semi-reflective fields characteristic of fresh dies before the major wreath break developed. The combination of early die state proof-like surfaces with a significant die break is unusual, as most major breaks develop later in a die's working life. The obverse features a doubled 8 at the top loop and the S mintmark set high and tilted to the right. San Francisco Morgan Dollars from 1899 saw a mintage of over 2.5 million, and "CascadeChris" Simpson's 2017 discovery of this variety demonstrates that new die marriages continue to emerge from even well-studied dates.

External References