1903-S VAM-5

Description

Discovered by Jim Baxter in February 1979, the 1903-S VAM-5 Morgan Dollar is classified as III2 1 - C4/C3b (Slanted Date, 2 Olive Reverse) with die pairing number 189. The obverse (III2 1) features a slanted date with the 1 positioned closest to the rim — the leftmost digit sitting lower than the right digits, creating a downward slope from left to right across the date that resulted from the date punch contacting the master die at a slight angle. The reverse carries the dual designation C4/C3b (2 Olive Reverse), featuring a faint olive to the right of the olive connected to the branch — an extra olive element visible under magnification that distinguishes this reverse die from the standard single-olive configuration. Additional reverse features include doubling at the base of the top and left olive leaf clusters, to the right of the eagle's nostril and eye, and at the back of the lower arrowhead. The S mintmark is described as V S (very small), set upright and slightly high within the wreath. The Morgan Dollar was struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1903 in 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter. George T. Morgan's design was in its 26th year of continuous production. The 1903-S is notable as one of the key-date Morgan Dollars with a relatively low mintage of approximately 1.24 million pieces, making any documented variety on this date inherently desirable to collectors. Jim Baxter's 1979 discovery established this as one of the earlier-documented VAM varieties for the date, and the combination of slanted date, extra olive, and very small high-set S mintmark creates a three-component attribution system providing multiple independent diagnostic checkpoints.

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