What would you grade this Common Date Morgan?

Oh, c'mon! I spent half an hour trying to VAM it!

Just kidding, this was an interesting experiment. And I guess that's why I couldn't find a matching VAM....

 

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Sometimes I feel stretched when I climb out of the test tube, but that's just being old I guess.

 

A little too crisp, actually. Dirty little secret about 81-S. They are very well struck, but detail is typically not as sharp other mints. Many dies were used for several hundred thousand strikes, where average die life for the early part of the Morgan series was around 130,000. 81-S dies were also repolished and put back into service. The fields then look prooflike again, but the details are more heavily worn. The worn details give way to a little bit of orange peel texture due to the die wear, which makes for strong cartwheel luster on the devices to go along with the freshly polished fields. Look especially at the date for lack of crisp contrast between the digits and the field, the lower hair strands, and the designer's initial. Fully struck, very lustrous, but not crisply defined.

 

Interesting but comparing the 81-O to an 81-S shot by the same photographer (although the 81-S is a full slab shot cropped so not an exact comparison) you can definitely see what you're saying. This one missed PL but I think that was incorrect, it may be a good example of an older die that was repolished cause it's PL but not that crisp never really noticed that:



For comparison on same post:


Whatever the reason I took one look at the 81-O and thought "meh" when I thought it was an S mint.

 

I'm almost always looking up what VAM a Morgan Dollar is especially if it's one I'm considering purchasing.
It's who I am and what I love to do and never consider time on VAMworld "wasted time" There is always something to learn

Edit to add - including the discussion forum...

 

My thought exactly

 

Nah

 

Guessing someone owns dog in JT's house

 

One of the better cheeks by oodles

 

I know it's not now since I found out we were deceived.

 

Yeah that sucked. What a waste

 

You suck

 

I never said it was a waste.

It was a good learning experience from the experts that chimed in. Several couldn’t VAM it and now knowing for obvious reasons why.

I have heard people rule out counterfeits by not being able to pinpoint the VAM for a given date/mm. This was a solid example of that. It didn’t exist yet no one mentioned it. It further proves how important knowledge is in this hobby.

@jtlee321 never asked for a VAM and shouldn’t be faulted for one wanting to know it for their self while I do also commend them for their trying. It speaks volumes to their dedication to study and the hobby.

 

That coin will never make 66.

I'm honestly not sure it will make 65 either (and definitely wouldn't be plus).

There are just too many marks on the cheek and the field in front of her face. There are numerous fine tick-marks in the fields of the reverse as well, and those small marks like that will kill a grade.

I have to agree with Sir Messy on this, I think this is a very attractive 64.

 

64

 

To those of you who asked when I will send it in. I want to send it in as soon as I can, but I am waiting for the tide to turn a bit at both PCGS and NGC right now. As many of you know, both services have gotten very conservative lately. I have a handful of DMPL's as well as a couple better date/grade coins that I want to get graded. I just don't want to have to send them in twice.

I do have quite a few Washington Quarters that I might send in during the current grading special. Pay for 3 get 1 free is a hard bargain to pass up. I just wish it wasn't only good for coins with American Presidents on them.

 

I'm sorry if you feel that way. Again, it was not my intention get people to try and VAM the coin. Most of the VAM threads around here seem to only get replies from a small handful of VAM'ers. Besides the '81-S is not really a coin that a lot of VAM'ers enjoy trying to narrow down. There are only 2 good ones that command much interest and all the others are very similar to each other. It's almost like trying to VAM a 1921 Morgan without the die crack guide. I personally only check my 1881-S's for the VAM-1B and VAM-54A and 54B.

 

Yeah, that orange peel effect is very prominent on the S. I really love that look set against the PL or Semi-PL fields.

 

Some great information to add to the old mental database. . I'll start looking at those details a little better in the future.