1889-P VAMs

Mintage	21,726,000
Proof Mintage	811
Dies Used	57 obv., 50 rev.
Rarity in PL	5/10 (scarce)
Die Study	no

1889 is one of the common dates, with the second highest mintage of all Morgan dollars, 1921 being the highest. The typical 1889 has mushy or eroded details from overused dies, and rather murky luster. For a common date, prooflike specimens are rare. 1889 has many doubled ear varieties, often as a result of die fatigue. The most spectacular obverse clashed die of all Morgan dollars is the rare VAM 23A, truly a sight to behold and coveted by all Morgan VAM collectors. Other notable VAMs have die breaks, pitting, or other deterioration. VAM 18A can be found with a rotated reverse.

Attribution Guides for 1889-P

1889-P Doubled Ear Attribution Guide:
Sort by Date Position
Clashed Dies with Letter Transfer
1889 P Sunken or Partially Sunken Die Varieties
1889-P PROOF
1889-P VAM not assigned varieties

Official VAM Listing

1889-P VAM-1 Closed 9
1889-P VAM-1B Clashed Obverse n
1889-P VAM-1C1 (Same as VAM 52)
1889-P VAM-1C2 Die Scratches TF
1889-P VAM-1D1 Die Scratch Cotton Leaf
1889-P VAM-1D2 Clashed Die "n" and "t"
1889-P VAM-1E Denticle Impressions Below Arrow Feathers
1889-P VAM-1F Denticle Impressions Below Wreath Bow
1889-P VAM-2 Open 9
1889-P VAM-3 Doubled 18-9 and Right Stars, Far Date
1889-P VAM-3A Doubled Date & Ear, Far Date, Sunken Obverse Die
1889-P VAM-4 Very Far Date
1889-P VAM-5 Far Date
1889-P VAM-5A Far Date, Pitted Reverse, Gouge Olive Branch (Hit List 40 Morgan VAM)
1889-P VAM-5B Far Date, Pitted Rev., Gouge Olive Branch, Clashed Obverse n (Hit List 40 Morgan VAM)
1889-P VAM-5C Far Date, Die Gouges Below 9
1889-P VAM-5D Far Date, Denticle Impressions Below Arrow Feathers
1889-P VAM-5E Far Date, Denticle Impressions at Wreath Bow
1889-P VAM-6 Doubled 9, Tripled 1 & Ear Bottom, Far Date
1889-P VAM-7 High 9
1889-P VAM-7A High 9, Slightly Doubled Ear
1889-P VAM-7B High 9, Slightly Doubled Ear, Clashed Obverse n
1889-P VAM-8 Very Far Date, High 9
1889-P VAM-9 Far & Slanted Date (Confusion with this listing and VAM-38)
1889-P VAM-10 Far Date, Doubled First 8
1889-P VAM-11 Doubled 18
1889-P VAM-12 Doubled 1
1889-P VAM-12A Doubled 1, Die Breaks 1-2 Left Star
1889-P VAM-13 Very Far Slanted Date
1889-P VAM-14 Doubled 18, Tripled 9, Scribbling on Nose
1889-P VAM-14A Doubled 18, Tripled 9, Scribbling on Nose, Denticle Impressions TF and Leaf
1889-P VAM-15 Doubled 889, Ear & Arrow Feathers
1889-P VAM-16 Doubled Ear & Rt. Stars, Far Date (Hot 50 Morgan Vam)
1889-P VAM-17 Far Date, Doubled 18
1889-P VAM-18 Doubled Ear, Slanted Very Far Date, Denticle Impressions Below Arrow Feathers (Hot 50)
1889-P VAM-18A Doubled Ear, Slanted Very Far Date, Die Chip Cap Rear (Hot 50 Morgan VAM)
1889-P VAM-19 Doubled Reverse
1889-P VAM-19A (formerly VAM-5A) Doubled Reverse, Bar Wing, Doubled 89(Top 100 and WOW! Morgan VAM)
1889-P VAM-19B1 Doubled Reverse, Clashed Obverse n & t
1889-P VAM-19B2 Doubled Reverse, Clashed Obverse n & t, Clashed Reverse M (WOW! Morgan VAM)
1889-P VAM-20 Doubled Ear and Forehead, Normal Date (Hot 50 Morgan Vam)
1889-P VAM-21 Doubled Ear & Lower Cotton Leaves, Far Date
1889-P VAM-22 Bar Wing, Far Date (Top 100 and WOW! Morgan VAM)
1889-P VAM-23 Slanted Date
1889-P VAM-23A Slanted Date, Clashed Obverse In & st (Hot 50 Morgan VAM)
1889-P VAM-23B Slanted Date, Worn Polished Obverse Die
1889-P VAM-24 8 in Denticles, Doubled Ear, Polishing Lines in Cotton Bolls, Normal Date
1889-P VAM-25 Doubled Ear, Far Date
1889-P VAM-26 Doubled Arrow Shafts
1889-P VAM-27 Doubled Ear, Near Date
1889-P VAM-28 Doubled Ear, Far Date
1889-P VAM-28A Doubled Ear, Far Date, Pitted DO (Hit List 40 Morgan VAM)
1889-P VAM-29 Doubled Right Wreath, Thread-like Impression Reverse
1889-P VAM-30 Doubled Ear
1889-P VAM-31 Doubled Ear Inside, Far Date
1889-P VAM-32 Doubled Ear, High 9, Very Far Date
1889-P VAM-33 Doubled Ear, Slanted Date, Normal Date placement
1889-P VAM-34 Doubled Right Wreath
1889-P VAM-36 Doubled Ear Right Inside, Normal Date
1889-P VAM-37 Doubled Ear, Normal Date
1889-P VAM-38 Doubled Ear, Far Date
1889-P VAM-38A Doubled Ear, Far Date, Die Breaks Stars
1889-P VAM-39 Doubled Ear & Cotton Leaves, Far Date
1889-P VAM-40 Doubled Ear, Far Date
1889-P VAM-40A1 Doubled Ear, Far Date, Clashed Obverse n
1889-P VAM-40A2 Doubled Ear, Far Date, Double Clashed Obverse n, clashed st
1889-P VAM-41 Doubled Ear, Very Far Date
1889-P VAM-42 Doubled Ear, Cotton Leaves, Right Stars, Far Date
1889-P VAM-43 Split Hair Ends, Far Date
1889-P VAM-43A Split Hair Ends, Far Date, Polishing Lines Liberty Head
1889-P VAM-44 Doubled Ear & URIBUS UNU, Very Far Date
1889-P VAM-45 Doubled Ear, Very Far Date, Doubled Wreath Leaves
1889-P VAM-46 Doubled 1 Top and Ear, Normal Date
1889-P VAM-47 Doubled Ear, Normal Date
1889-P VAM-48 Very Far Date, Doubled Wreath Leaves
1889-P VAM-49 Doubled Ear, Far Date
1889-P VAM-52 Dbl Ear, Die Gouges Neck Front & Star, Normal WNP. (Dup. listing of V1C1)
1889-P VAM-53 Doubled Ear, Very Far Date
1889-P VAM-54 Doubled Ear, Very Far Date, Doubled America & Wreaths
1889-P VAM-55 Doubled Eyelid
1889-P VAM-57 Doubled Ear, Far Date, High 9
1889-P VAM-58 Doubled Ear (Possible duplication of VAM-27)
1889-P VAM-60 Doubled Ear, Far Date
1889-P VAM-61 Doubled Ear, Far Date
1889-P VAM-62 Denticle Impressions
1889-P VAM-63 Doubled Ear, Very Far Slanted Date

List of Past VAM Assignments

1889-P VAM-1A Die Gouge Neck Front (Eliminated, became VAM-52)
1889-P VAM-1C Die Scratches Below Tail Feathers (Became VAM-1C1 & VAM-1C2)
1889-P VAM-1G Die Scratch Cap Top *New 2019* (Eliminated, same as VAM-1D)
Former 5B filled r in Trust is striking error Former VAM-5B
1889-P VAM-5F Far Date, Die Chip First Left Star (Same as VAM 12A)
1889-P VAM-8A Very Far Date, High 9, Polishing Lines Liberty Head (Eliminated, duplicate of VAM-53 with die 1 reverse)
1889-P VAM-9A Far Slanted Date, Polishing Lines Liberty Head became VAM-43A
1889-P VAM-19B Doubled Reverse, Clashed Obverse n (Top 100 Morgan VAM)
1889-P VAM-35 Incorporated in VAM-24
1889-P VAM-40A Became 1889-P VAM-40A2 upon 1889-P VAM-40A1 discovery
1889-P VAM-50 Doubled 1, Tripled 9, Scribbling on Nose Became VAM-14
1889-P VAM-51 Doubled Ear, Normal Date, Sunken die [DOUBLED EAR] LDS duplicate of VAM-30
1889-P VAM-56 (Eliminated, duplicate of VAM-7A, now VAM 23D)
1889-P VAM-59 Same as 19
1889-P VAM-59A Same as 19B1

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Legend:
Photos of diagnostics shown on page.
Full-coin photo of VAM.
VAM has been eliminated altogether or phased into another number.
No photos posted for this VAM.
This VAM is recognized by PCGS.
This VAM is recognized by NGC.
As ANACS, SEGS, ICG, and Variety Slabbing Service (VSS) recognize all VAMs currently in the official listings, no icon is shown for these services.