Need Help With VAM Identification

Well, I will let you off the hook. It is a VAM-23. There is a saying which goes something like, if it quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, then it's a duck. The reverse cracks, while not plated by Van Allen, or noted in the VW pages, match the V23 exactly. I assume the inside doubled ear also matches. I have a EDS, MDS and LDS of this die marriage ( VAM). Another marker for your coin is a die scratch at the viewers upper left side of the left star on the reverse, which I do not see on your photos, but is likely there.

The VAM-16 is a red haired step-child, meaning I do not know of any 1902-O that fits into this VAM description at the present time. It was listed by Van Allen back in the day when the VAM classification system was in force. By now (up to VAM-98), it has been replaced by VAM assignments with specific die markers.

A lot of folks on this forum do not know who I am, some do. I wrote an attribution guide for the 1902-O Morgan dollar series. So yes, I have examples of your coin, and they have been vetted by Van Allen.

Not a problem at all. I will gladly try to help anyone with a 02-O or 04-O question. Chute25 is also very, very good with 04-Os.

I do not know one. VW is the best, even with the holes in it as far as I know. Folks like yourself are free to add photos to VW to help make it even better. You could do that with your V23.