1904-P VAM-1.1

Description

Representing the first documented die pairing within the normal die family, the 1904-P VAM-1.1 carries the catalog designation 1.1 III2 1 C4a (Normal Die) — pairing an Obverse III2 1, which is a normal die of the III2 type featuring a closed numeral 9 in the date, with a Reverse C4a, a normal die of the C4 type. George T. Morgan's silver dollar was struck at Philadelphia in 1904 with a modest mintage of approximately 2.79 million coins, making this one of the lower-production dates in the series and a coin that commands premiums across all grades. The decimal notation system (VAM-1.1 rather than a sequential whole number) reflects the Weth Die numbering convention adopted to extend the original Van Allen-Mallis catalog, allowing individual die pairings to be documented within the normal die category without consuming full VAM numbers reserved for varieties with diagnostically significant characteristics. Normal die VAMs serve an essential archival purpose: they establish the complete census of known die marriages for a date-mint combination, providing baseline reference points against which collectors and researchers can compare potentially significant varieties. The closed 9 in the Obverse III2 designation refers to the style of numeral punch where the upper loop of the 9 forms a fully enclosed circle, as opposed to an open 9 where a gap interrupts the loop — this punch style distinction serves as a primary obverse die classification marker throughout the Morgan dollar series. Emission sequence data for both obverse and reverse dies remains unlisted, indicating that the production chronology and die pairing history have not yet been fully reconstructed for this die marriage.

External References