1900-O VAM-2B2

Description

Discovered on December 26, 2015 by Brian Raines and classified as 2B2 III2 2 C3a, this 1900-O Morgan Dollar variety is identified by an open 9 in the date, polishing lines on the wing, and a die break designated as Break B. The obverse displays the open 9 — where the tail of the numeral does not fully close — as the primary date diagnostic. The reverse shows polishing lines visible on the eagle's wing, polished wheat detail, and die breaks at the letters E, P, and the area around RIP. The "B2" suffix indicates a specific die state within the VAM-2 family, tracking the progressive development of die breaks that accumulated during production. The multiple break locations — at E, P, and RIP — document a reverse die under considerable stress with fractures developing at several points simultaneously. Struck in 90% silver at the New Orleans Mint, the 1900-O was produced in large quantities during the final years of nineteenth-century Morgan Dollar coinage. Brian Raines's late 2015 discovery demonstrates ongoing research into this common but variety-rich date. Obverse III2 2- Die cracks thru tops of URIBUS with die break at top left of B. Reverse C3a - Diagonal die scratch lines at lower inside of eagle's left wing near leg.

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