1901-O VAM-20

Description

Discovered by Martin Field in August 1979, the 1901-O VAM-20 Morgan Dollar carries the classification III2 8 - C3a (Doubled 0, Bar Ear) with die pairing number 189. The obverse (III2 8) exhibits the 0 in 1901 doubled slightly at the bottom right outside, along with a closed 9 — a formation where the upper loop of the numeral 9 is connected to the vertical stroke, creating a distinctive date diagnostic. The "Bar Ear" designation describes a diagonal gouge in the lower part of the ear opening, a prominent die marker that serves as the primary visual identification point for this variety when examining candidates under magnification. Community notes provide important cataloging context: this variety is also listed as VAM-1A in early die state (prior to any clash episode), but commentators argue it should not be classified that way because it is not a die state of the VAM-1B, and the mintmark is set right of center — a distinction that highlights the nuanced debate within the VAM community about when a variety constitutes a die state of an existing number versus warranting its own separate designation. The Morgan Dollar was designed by George T. Morgan and struck at the New Orleans Mint in 1901 in 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter. The 1901-O had a mintage of approximately 13.3 million pieces. Field's 1979 discovery came during the formative period of modern VAM collecting, and the variety's three diagnostic features — doubled 0, closed 9, and bar ear — combined with the right-of-center mintmark provide multiple attribution checkpoints for confirming this specific die marriage among the numerous 1901-O VAM varieties.

External References