VAM help needed on 1902-O (new photos added)

DennisH · April 19, 2007 12:43PM

Below are several photos of a 1902-O which I believe to be either a VAM 4 or 48A. I can't be at all sure because none of the reference materials I have mention the most obvious feature that is present on my coin -- the large crack that runs through the date, and the very large raised lump of metal that fills the area above the 'foot' of the 2.

In addition, there are clashes coming out of the long bridge of the nose, there's obviously a clashed letter in the hair vee, and there's a 'boomerang' shaped clash coming out of the eagle's wing.

Has anyone seen this before?

Wolf359 · April 19, 2007 12:56PM

Dennis, I've seen that chunk several times and it's in Leroy's updates. The crack is new to me though. I cannot get to ashmore or vamworld or parts of Yahoo at the moment, so
I can't be more definitive.

morganbarber · April 20, 2007 2:07AM

IMHO it looks more like a planchet flaw than a die state.

DennisH · April 20, 2007 11:14AM

new pictures added to original post

messydesk · April 20, 2007 11:22AM

I also think the mess on the 1 is a planchet flaw. Leroy often ignores the chip in the 2, adding the "some coins show a chip in the 2" to existing varieties as people report it.

Wolf359 · April 20, 2007 11:24AM

Dennis,

Try this 1902-O VAM:

15A III28 · C4/C3b (Doubled Profile, 2 Olive Reverse, Die Break E DO) (181) I-3 R-6

Obverse III28– Base of 2 filled in.
Reverse C4/C3b– Heavy thick die crack thru bottom of E and D and curving down to denticles below O in DOLLAR with break between E and D.

Coxe · April 20, 2007 11:33AM

I am pretty sure it is the 4A or 48A too. Actually, I am not so sure they are not the same variety and need to be merged. Leroy wouldn't probably mention the crack. Make sure the lump is indeed coin metal. It probably is and is mentioned for VAM-1, probably should have been for the introduction of the date and others like it as this probably is on more than one obverse. This is my pet peave with the VAM way of doing varieties rather than being precise on dies and work on stages and pairings from there. No fault on Leroy's (or posthumously George's) efforts. We are still not to the point where we can make such attributions with any reliability. Today we still don't have anything close to all of the Philadelphia reverses enumerated for instance.

DennisH · April 20, 2007 11:52AM

John -- I was thinking the same thing about VAMs 4 and 48A maybe being the same; they look extremely similar in the updates at ashmore.com

Jack -- There are no cracks on the reverse, nor is it a two-berry model, but thanks for the suggestion.

VAMs... what wacky stuff to do!

VamGuy · April 21, 2007 5:22AM

Dennis,

Your coin is a late die state of the VAM 51A.

Peace,

Larry

Edited to correct attribution.

DennisH · April 21, 2007 5:51AM

"Your coin is a late die state of the VAM 51A."

Larry -- Thank You!!

VAM help needed on 1902-O (new photos added)

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