1902-O VAM-4

Description

Leonard Hinckley first documented this New Orleans Mint Morgan Dollar variety in February 1974, establishing VAM-4 as one of the earlier attributions in the 1902-O catalog. Classified as III2 3 - C4a with a rarity of 181 and an interest-to-rarity profile of I-2 R-4, the variety is distinguished by its near date position and a closed numeral 9 in the date. The closed 9, where the tail of the numeral curves inward to nearly or fully close the loop, provides an immediate visual diagnostic that separates this die from those with the more common open 9 configuration. The mintmark appears centered and upright relative to the eagle's tail feathers, conforming to a standard placement that helps narrow attribution but does not alone distinguish this variety from other 1902-O VAMs. The near date positioning, combined with the closed 9, establishes the pair of diagnostics needed for confident identification. New Orleans Morgan Dollars from 1902 saw a mintage of over 8.6 million pieces, and the R-4 rarity rating indicates that VAM-4 appears with moderate frequency, making it an attainable addition for collectors assembling a representative set of 1902-O die marriages. =1902-O VAM-4 Near Date= Discovered by Leonard Hinckley, February 1974.

External References