1902-P VAM-8

Description

Discovered by Jim Baxter in March 1979, the 1902-P VAM-8 Morgan Dollar carries the descriptive title "2 Olive Reverse" and is classified as III2 1 - C4/C3c with a rarity rating of 189. The defining characteristic of this variety is an extra olive appearing to the right of the olive connected to the branch on the reverse — an additional design element created by a die anomaly that added a second olive fruit where only one should exist. Beyond the extra olive, the reverse shows doubling at the base of the olive leaf clusters, the back of the lower arrowhead, the feathers at the top of the eagle's left wing, and the right side of the eagle's nostril and eye. The dual C4/C3c reverse classification indicates this die combines features of two reverse die types, suggesting it may represent a transitional or hybrid die state. The 1902-P Morgan Dollar was struck at the Philadelphia Mint with a mintage of 7,994,777 pieces in 90% silver, weighing 26.73 grams at 38.1 mm diameter. George T. Morgan's heraldic eagle reverse, with its intricate arrangement of arrows, olive branch, and wreath, provides a complex design field where die anomalies like the extra olive can emerge through die damage, fill, or hubbing irregularities. The "2 Olive Reverse" designation makes this VAM particularly memorable among the 1902-P die marriages, as the physical addition of a design element — rather than mere doubling or positioning differences — gives it a distinctive visual identity that collectors can locate without magnification once they know where to look on the branch.

External References