I have finally decided to look into this whole vam thing and I must admit, I am intrigued. So my question is, please don't think i'm an ass, but why? If it is a die crack, it's a die crack. If it is a double die, it's a double die. It just seems like a nother way to classify these things. Am I missing the point all together? Now, with that said, or asked, I have searched through my morgans and found some fun things I would have never looked for. Case in point, I now know that my 1885 has a die clash. Also my 1885 o has a die clash as well. Several others display some sort of die cracks and so on, but does this make them more valuable? Or is this more of a "neat" thing? For instance does it mean more if I say 1885 o vam whatever rather than 1885 o die clash? I am truly trying to understand. Any imput would be welcomed. Happy hunting, Michael
Only if there is a market for the coin. You might have the ONLY one, an R-8 perhaps, but if there is no market for the variety you'll only get the value of the highest collectable aspect of it. I know from experience... Bone
Exactly. The VAM designation is just the classification of the dies (or sometimes die state) used on Peace and Morgan dollars. Clashes and die cracks are common and don't receive a unique VAM designation. If the clash transferred one or more letters, it will receive a sub-variety designation (new VAM number). The die cracks don't get a new number. It has to turn into a die break. There are very specific rules defined by the two authors. Some have changed recently. Missing letters caused by grease filled dies used to get a new number. They don't any more. I mentioned "die state". Say a few thousand coins are minted with the same pair of dies, then they clash and transfer a letter from one side to another. The original VAM might be labeled VAM 1. Later in the die state when the letter is transferred, it might be a VAM 1A. Still the same die pair, but in a different die state that meet the rules for a new designation. Spikes on the eagle's shoulder on Peace dollars have to be two or more or touch the letters, single spikes don't count. Die scratches and gouges have be a certain size, visible to the naked eye. I had a Peace dollar with multiple rays shooting off of Liberty's face and behind her neck. It looked cool. Not a new VAM. If I had a tiny part of a letter transferred, it would have been. There are thousands of different VAMs. Most don't carry a premium over the "common" value. There are books/lists/CDs that have a subset of the varieties. Folks are trying to complete these sets. Examples are the Top 100, Hot 50 Morgans, and 1921-D Morgans, and the Top 50 Peace dollars. There are other people collecting all 1878-P 8TF Morgans, etc.... and they might pay a premium. I have dozens of Morgan and Peace dollars that have VAM numbers on them. They're not worth any more that without the VAM number... unless they are on one of the lists or someone needs it for their specialized set or someone just wants to pay more. There are some VAMs on these Top lists that only carry premiums in higher grades. I've seen both sides. I had a 21-D VAM that wasn't on any list. It was one of four known. I sold it 10x the common value. I have another 83-O VAM that's one of four known. Not sure I'd see anything more than the common value... but it's in a new book coming out at FUN. Maybe the value will go up. The R (rarity) numbers are given out by the authors (now one author) based on experience. Since the VAM interest has increased, some of these numbers seem meaningless. There are R-6 coins that are easy to find and R-4 coins that seem impossible to locate. I could go on and on....
For me, it was a whole new way to look at Morgans. It really put the fun back in my Morgan collection. I can't compete with the people with deep pockets for the high grade monster toned coins, so instead I look for the cool VAMs. Some of them knock my socks off. And it's OK if they are circulated, cleaned, beat up, etc., the right VAM, and they are so cool!! Ever cherry a O/CC, a micro O, a E reverse? It will make your day
Morgan $ VAMs I have to agree that VAMs are a fun way of examining your collection (and extending if you have the $$$). I got "The Top 100 Morgan Dollar Varieties: The VAM Keys" with a Christmas gift card and went through my Morgan $'s and found the following: 1880-P VAM 1A Knobbed "8" 1882-O VAM 4 "O/S" 1888-O Oval "O" Mintmark 1903-S VAM 2 Small "s" Mintmark I don't plan to spend extra money for VAMs, but I will keep an eye out if its a coin I may need for my collection.
I hear you there. In another post, I found out I had a Lincoln with concentric lathe marks. Mike Diamond said "good error, no market".:goofer: Nutty thing this hobby! Would this explain why I could not find my 1885 O die clash listed anywhere? Thanks for all the imput, you guys are the greatest. Michael
