1903-P VAM-1D

Description

Originally discovered in 2014 with Leroy Van Allen and the OCC contributing, and documented by VAMWorld with Lance Newman providing further analysis, the 1903-P VAM-1D Morgan Dollar was classified as III2 1 - C4a (Collar Clash Obverse) with die pairing number 189 before being eliminated in December 2024, superseded by VAM-20. The obverse (III2 1) exhibited a collar clash with reeding indents at the outside edge of the rim at the 9 o'clock position — a specialized type of clash where the die struck the collar (the ring that forms the coin's edge and reeding) rather than the opposing die, transferring the collar's reeding pattern onto the die face as impressed vertical lines near the rim. The elimination and supersession by VAM-20 illustrates the dynamic nature of VAM cataloging, where varieties initially assigned independent numbers are sometimes consolidated when further research determines they represent the same die pair or when numbering conflicts arise requiring reorganization. The community commentary suggests this appears to be a duplicate listing of the 1903-P VAM-20, confirming the redundancy that led to its delisting. The Morgan Dollar was designed by George T. Morgan and struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1903 in 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter. The 1903-P had a mintage of approximately 4.7 million pieces, a relatively moderate figure. Collar clashes are less commonly documented than standard die clashes because the collar's interaction with the die produces a more subtle and easily overlooked pattern compared to the dramatic design transfers of die-to-die clashes. The December 2024 elimination demonstrates the VAM community's ongoing curation of the catalog to remove redundancies and improve accuracy.

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