1902-P VAM-1A

Description

Discovered by Calvin Cherry in November 2005, VAM-1A on the 1902 Philadelphia Morgan Dollar documents die rust affecting the reverse, cataloged under die pair III21 with a C4a reverse. The diagnostic feature consists of raised dots between the right wreath bow ribbon and the tops of OL in DOLLAR, along with additional raised dots at the upper left of the N in ONE. These raised dots correspond to rust pits in the die — small cavities where corrosion attacked the die steel surface during periods of storage or inactivity. When a rusted die strikes a planchet, the pits transfer as raised bumps because the corroded depressions in the die become projections on the coin. Die rust pitting is distinct from other forms of die damage: the dots are typically rounded and irregularly distributed, following the pattern of corrosion rather than the linear paths of die cracks or the localized depressions of die chips. The C4a reverse classification indicates this die's condition within the broader die-state progression documented for the 1902 Philadelphia Morgan Dollar, placing the rust pitting within a specific stage of the die's working life.

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