1901-S VAM-15A
Error
Description
Discovered in 2014 by Gil Medina and Mark Malouf, the 1901-S VAM-15A is classified as 15 III21 - C4/C3e (189) and cataloged by VAMWorld. This variety features a 2 Olive reverse die paired with an obverse showing a collar clash — an unusual form of die damage where the collar die (the ring that forms the coin's edge reeding) strikes the obverse face, leaving reeding indentations along the rim at approximately 1 o'clock. Collar clashes are considerably rarer than standard obverse-reverse clashes because they require the collar to shift or the planchet to be severely mispositioned during striking. The reeding indents are the primary diagnostic, visible as fine parallel lines impressed into the obverse field near the rim. San Francisco struck 2,284,000 Morgan dollars in 1901, a lower-production-run year that enhances collector interest in documented die varieties. The C4/C3e reverse classification indicates specific die characteristics in the eagle's tail feathers and wreath details.
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