1904-P VAM-1.2

Description

Second in the normal die sub-variety sequence, the 1904-P VAM-1.2 shares the same structural classification as VAM-1.1 — cataloged as 1.2 III2 1 C4a (Normal Die) — identifying another die pairing that combines an Obverse III2 1 with a Reverse C4a, both classified as normal dies without significant diagnostic characteristics. Philadelphia's 1904 Morgan dollar production of approximately 2.79 million pieces places this among the scarcest regular-issue Philadelphia dates in the series, exceeded in rarity only by the 1893-P and 1894-P among P-mint issues. The existence of VAM-1.2 alongside VAM-1.1 demonstrates that even with a relatively modest mintage, multiple die pairings were employed within the normal die classification — each decimal number represents a distinct physical combination of one obverse die and one reverse die that researchers have differentiated through careful examination of die-specific characteristics such as minor polish lines, die preparation marks, or subtle variations in the depth and positioning of design elements. George T. Morgan's design, featuring Liberty wearing a Phrygian cap adorned with wheat and cotton on the obverse and a heraldic eagle clutching arrows and olive branch on the reverse, provided the artistic framework for what would become numismatics' most extensively cataloged die variety system. The Obverse III2 type with its characteristic closed 9 and the C4a reverse classification both represent standard die types for the late-date Morgan dollar production era. Emission sequence documentation remains incomplete, leaving the chronological relationship between VAM-1.1 and VAM-1.2 — whether one preceded or followed the other in the production sequence — as an open question for future research.

External References