1901-O VAM-17

Description

Discovered by Jim Baxter in March 1979, the 1901-O VAM-17 Morgan Dollar carries the classification III2 1 · C4/C3f (2 Olive Reverse) with die pairing number 181. The reverse (C4/C3f) displays the same distinctive "2 Olive Reverse" feature found on several 1901-O die marriages: an extra olive appears to the right of the olive connected to the branch in the eagle's talon. Additional reverse doubling is visible on the top of the olive branch at the right of the olives, at the base of the top and left olive leaf cluster, at the back of the lower arrowhead, and on the right side of the eagle's nostril and eye — a comprehensive set of doubled features distributed across the reverse's heraldic eagle design. The mintmark is set slightly high and to the left with a slight tilt to the left, combining mintmark position and orientation anomalies with the olive and doubling features. The "2 Olive Reverse" is one of the more visually compelling reverse varieties in Morgan Dollar collecting because the extra botanical element — an additional olive fruit — is clearly identifiable as an anomalous design feature even at moderate magnification. George T. Morgan designed this silver dollar with the Liberty head and heraldic eagle holding arrows and olive branch. Struck at the New Orleans Mint in 1901 in 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter and a reeded edge. The 1901-O had a mintage of approximately 13.3 million pieces. Baxter's discovery of this die marriage in 1979, a year of intense VAM cataloging activity, contributed to documenting the full scope of 2 Olive Reverse die marriages within the 1901-O date. The multiple reverse doubling points — olive, branch, leaf cluster, arrowhead, and eagle features — offer a rich field for diagnostic examination.

External References