1902-O VAM-2

Description

Discovered by George Mallis in June 1965, the 1902-O Morgan Dollar VAM-2 is classified III2 2 C3a with the attribution Open 9 — the obverse presenting a normal die with an open 9 in the date, and the reverse as C3a with the mint mark centered and upright. The Open 9 refers to the shape of the digit as formed by the logotype punch. It is worth noting that open versus closed digit distinctions are now considered obsolete as primary attribution criteria in modern VAM scholarship, reflecting logotype punch variants rather than individual die events; collectors should be aware that this attribute is no longer considered a valid basis for variety differentiation in the current framework. The 1902-O Morgan Dollar was struck at the New Orleans Mint in 90% silver during one of the later years of O-mint production, which continued through 1904. Mallis, co-author of the foundational Van Allen-Mallis reference, contributed numerous early discoveries to the Morgan Dollar variety census, and VAM-2's 1965 discovery places it among the earliest documented 1902-O attributions.

External References