1882 O Morgan - O over S?

I've stared at this coin for quite a while tonight and tried taking a bunch of different photos, and I still just can't tell if this is an "O over S" variant or not. This was the best of the pictures I got, but even it seems awfully small. Any input? Thanks in advance!

 

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Id say without question it is but I am a dime guy so dont take that to the bank........if so, congrats on the find

 

either way, don't take that coin to the bank! They'll only give you a buck for it!

 

The underlying metal doesn't appear to have a shape/direction that would correspond to a S for O/S.Here is a page with the VAMs for the issue. See what you think as you can orient and use a magnifier.

http://www.vamworld.com/1882+O+Over+S

 

Thanks for the link. I had looked at those pictures earlier tonight -- I suppose I should have mentioned that! What you said about the shape not exactly matching any of those is part of why I was having so much trouble deciding what to make of this coin. I did look with my hand-held magnifier, but didn't get any more insights from it. I'll give it another lok tomorrow, maybe my eyes will be less tired then.

Thanks again.

 

Try taking a close-up photo of the mintmark straight on rather than at an angle. Also try changing the settings on your camera so your photos will be larger. With a better photo you should be able to get your answer here.

 

OK, I'll see what I can get in terms of a better picture tomorrow. Thanks!

 

I am sure that there has been another thread where a similar mint mark was asked if O/S. But can't find the right thread with the search.

If more people realized the power of the Search button above, and the tremendous source of reference coins included in all of the posts.....perhaps they would title their threads towards the subject matter. I have been guilty of it also, but am going to change my ways. No more " New Arrivals" titles... Maybe "New Arrivals 1969S DDO " J/K.

 

The crossbar of the "S" appears to be recessed rather than flush with the "O".

Chris

 

Yes, it looks recessed to me, too.

Here's the largest picture I was able to get. I hope that this helps. Thanks again for your help!

 

That photo isn't any help for me.

Chris

 

I would not be satisfied until a Vam expert or 2 or 3 (keeper of the lists) looks at it. There are new varieties being discovered if it doesn't match known varieties. The width looks right and the original S may have been rotated CC (like the VAM 20) to make the angle more horizontal. The edges are just too sharp for the typical filled die responses.

 

I only saw one variety where the crossbar wasn't recessed and that may have been. It only makes sense that a second punch would go deeper than the initial punch with less material to move out of the way.

 

Marshall,

There is only one, the VAM-4 LDS, where the full width of the crossbar is recessed, and you can't assume that when a New Orleans employee repunched the "O" over the "S" that they made it deeper. Actually, the variations in the O/S are due more to the die state of the previously existing "S" on the dies received by New Orleans from San Francisco.

Chris

 

I was using this as my guide:

http://www.vamworld.com/1882+O+Over+S

Only 1 image shows the crossbar anywhere close to even. They show 3 O/S varieties, so I'm going to back out of this dispute.

 

That appears to be VAM 4 because the "S" is recessed.

 

I honestly think it's a new O/S variety. Possibly O/O/S. This is why I wouldn't hesitate to ask the list makers. Charmy's been discovering Indian varieties and this may be one too.

Full Shots of both Obverse and Reverse might help as well. Die cracks can help with attribution.

 

Marshall,

I'm only trying to point out to you that the VAM-4 is the only one which shows the entire width of the crossbar recessed. The other two are just fragments of the crossbar.

As they so often say on VAMWorld, the dies is the die!

Chris

 

I appreciate everyone who has tried to help here.

I've attached two (large) photos of the full obverse and reverse and two more close-ups which I'm not sure really lend much more clarity.

I'm guessing that I was just seeing what I wanted to see and that there's really nothing here. But I still really appreciate all of your help. I guess this is part of the learning process!

 

I'm not sure how you're getting the impression that there's nothing there.

The initial image of the MM is the best and it definitely shows SOMETHING. The subsequent photos are just far enough out of focus to leave a question , at least in my mind. It could be a known VAM or an undiscovered new variety or something else, but it's SOMETHING.