1902-O VAM-22

Description

Discovered by Jim Baxter in January 1979, VAM-22 on the 1902-O Morgan Dollar carries the formal designation III2 3 paired with reverse die C4j, titled "Near Date, O Tilted Left," with catalogue identification number 181 and rarity-interest ratings of I-2 R-3. The dual-feature description encompasses both an obverse date positioning anomaly and a reverse mintmark orientation variation. On the obverse, die II2 3 places the date nearer to the bust than the standard alignment, with the base of the digit 2 filled — meaning the small triangular space at the bottom of the 2's curve is closed with die metal rather than open, a subtle but diagnostic detail that likely resulted from die polishing or the accumulation of die fill during production. The "Near Date" designation indicates the date logotype was punched into the die slightly too close to the bust truncation, creating a measurably tighter spacing compared to normal die setups for the 1902-O issue. On the reverse, die C4j features the O mintmark tilted to the left at normal height — a rotational variation in the hand-punched mintmark where the New Orleans Mint engraver set the punch at a slight clockwise tilt when impressing the O into the die, producing a mint letter that leans leftward relative to vertical. The R-3 rarity rating places this variety in the "Scarce" category on the VAM rarity scale, indicating an estimated population of 200 to 400 confirmed specimens — enough to be obtainable but requiring active searching. Struck at the New Orleans Mint in 90% silver at 26.73 grams, the 1902-O Morgan Dollar had a mintage of approximately 8.64 million pieces. VAMWorld community notes suggest posting images to the message board and contacting the specialist known as LateDateMorganGuy for confirmation if a collector believes they possess this variety.

External References