Hey guys, So ive become interested in identifying my coins further (Morgan and Peace $$'s) and so i tried to do a cross analysis of my coin with the VAMWorld site and ended up having a question on the matter. So the coin in question is a 1922-D Peace Dollar, nothing special just some nice golden rim toning and a simple addition to a set that I am currently working on. Well I typically try and see if I can come up with any VAM varieties whenever I get a new dollar, and I think I may have attributed my first one, but i need some help with a couple questions first. How accurate and consistent does the coin have to be with the describe attribute and picture to be labeled as that particular VAM? This is really my one and only major question with this particular coin. I think ive nailed it down, but my coin is ever so slightly different than the pictures and description. Anyway so im going to walk you through my thought process: Step 1: I finally ended up at the page listing all of the VAMs for this date and mintmark http://www.vamworld.com/1922-D+VAMs Step 2: It took me a second to realize that this page is broken down into 2 different reverses, so I identified mine as reverse B1 using the features they listed for identification. So that made it easy to go through only half the page Step 3: I systematically went through the different VAMs, paying particularly close attention to where I felt my coin would have the more prominent identifiers. I finally settled on one that is VERY close to my coin. It was VAM-1AF. So I moved to step 4. Step 4: Comparison. http://www.vamworld.com/1922-D+VAM-1AF Now this is where my question arises and you all are going to have to forgive me, we wont be able to use a picture of my coin, but I will do my best to accurately describe the difference and what is going on with it. Upon viewing my coin through my loupe, i noticed several nice die cracks going on, probably the most ive ever seen personally on a coin. The first crack I noticed starts at the right side of 'Y' in LIBERTY near the rim and runs through the bottom of the 'Y' all the way through the bun in her hair, stopping at the very front edge of the bun before continuing back into the field. This diagnostic matches up perfectly with what VAMWorld is showing in the picture as an identifier for 1AF. The next die crack I noticed is the main one used to identify this variety based off of VAMWorld. This one is located near the right side base of Lady Liberty's neck. It starts as a line slightly intersecting the base of the neck and flowing to the right, intersecting the 'T' in TRUST just like in VAMWorlds picture, but this is where my difference occurs, instead of mine turning up rather sharply and bypassing the 'R' and the 'V' entirely, the die crack instead cuts through the top left side of the 'R' and continues to intersect the 'V' at the very top left arm, ending slightly lower under the hair than pictured by VAMWorld. So if you were able to follow all of that, and without a picture from me no less, would you consider my coin that particular variety, or would it be something entirely new altogether? I would think it would be attributed as such, but I dont know enough about VAMs to accurately say that, and with the whole idea of VAMs, I could see this being a 'new' variety simply because its different than whats listed. Any help? Oh, and I will try for a picture, but dont hold me to it!
Actually I did manage a picture. Not the best, but it shows what I am talking about with both die cracks visible
Oh and here is their picture showing the difference at TRUST to put everything together in this thread:
Unless all diagnostics for the 1AF match up perfectly, then your coin is not that VAM. If even one die crack is out of place, it is not that VAM. Everything must be in the exact same place as VAM World describes... Edit: You added images. Yes, your coin closely resembles the VAM-1AF, but more photos are necessary to say for sure.
I just noticed something that tells me it's not 1AF... The crack is running just below the crossbar of 'T' on your coin. In 1AF, it bisects it.
Oh I wasnt attributing for any monetary gain, just seeing if I could use the site accurately and attribute my own coins. What really made me look for it was all the cracking going on with my coin. I figured with so many easy visual markers there was likely a VAM designated for it. I dont really buy VAMs and honestly wouldnt go out of my way to spend more on a coin like that, but I did want to know for my own curiosity's sake whether I had one or not. It is kind of hard for me to believe that this wouldnt be considered as VAM 1AF with everything matching up except where that crack ends, but like I said, this is an area i know NOTHING about, so ill take your word that its nothing. At any rate, my coin does have some pretty cool and prominent die cracks going on, which i liked being able to see
Your coin is one of the VAMs listed on VAM World... it's just a matter of finding a match. That's half the fun!
I'm not old, nor am I "salty"... well, maybe a little salty. Just keep scrolling and you'll find it eventually :devil:
Well considering 1AF is like 6 or 7 from the bottom, I cant do much more scrolling. I clearly have the B1 reverse and not the B2, my olive branch is like a mile from being attached at the claw
Care to share your wisdom further, as I have exhausted all the pictures and links for 22-D. I even checked varieties that were blatantly not even talking about anything similar to mine to make sure.
I never said I determined the VAM of your coin... I just said it wasn't 1AF :devil: I'm actually having trouble find a match to your's too. I'm sure it's in VAM World, but your coin could be some unlisted later die-state of another VAM. Can you post a picture of the entire obverse and reverse?
Yup now im angry....LOL, and here i thought you knew which one it was. I dont think its up there and now if i had to guess i would say it would be a slight variation of 1AF like 1AF1 or 1AF2 or something crazy like that. If its this hard to identify, then i dont care, its obviously like you said not anything of value.
This isn't a possibility. The dies that struck the VAM-1AF are entirely different than the dies that struck your coin. Die cracks don't just disappear and reappear in other places on a coin. When a die cracks, it stays cracked. The cracks can only extend from their origin. I agree attributing VAMs (or die varieties in general) can be tedious, but the feeling of gratification when you finally determine the variety is almost euphoric.
There is one possibility you can always keep in the back of your mind. That is a new VAM. New discoveries are rare, but each VAM was once a new discovery. I can't find a VAM which matches up with your cracks. It may be either a new variety or a new die state of another variety. A full picture of both sides of your coin would assist those trying to help you. But it's worth pursuing. ps This is not a time to get frustrated, it is a time to get excited.
