Contest #72 - Win a Morgan VAM!

Lots of people ask "what is a VAM?". It's just a designation given to the die pair for Morgan and Peace dollars. All Morgan and Peace dollars are VAMs. Some are rarer and have obvious visual differences. Some are common and a bit boring. The letters VAM come from the two authors who wrote the book and assigned these variety designations (Van Allen and Mallis).

There are thousands of VAM designations. There are several books published that provide a subset of this massive hoard (Top 100, Hot 50, Top 50, Fun with 1921, Elite Clashed Morgan Dollars).

I think everyone should own a Top 100 Morgan VAM! All you have to do is reply to this thread.

I will randomly select a winner on Saturday 6/24 at 8pm EST (give or take). The prize is a circulated 1886-P VAM 21. It has what appears to be an 8 going through the designer's intial. My avatar shows a close-up of an uncirculated example.

1886-P 21 obverse

1886-P 21 reverse


EDIT:
I knew that unique VAM designations can be given to the same die pair. Something extreme happens during the life of the die that makes a visual difference. It gets a new designation. Just found out that some VAMs have different die pairs. I'm confused... but the 1926-S VAM 4 is an example. It has one reverse die and two possible obverse dies.
I'm adding a second prize. It will be a circulated 1926-S VAM 4 "dot" variety. It has a raised dot on the reverse near the leaves.
1926-S VAM 4

 

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Sounds great, count me in.
I'm in the process of trying to understand if any of my Morgan Dollars are VAM varieties. I have about 5 potential coins that don't look quite right.
I'd love to have that one.

 

Please add me as well

Thanks for the shot.
Bone

 

I guess Ill try it out

 

Please count me in...

Thanks for the great contest.

Mike

 

Add Moi to the list as well..

 

Wow, beautiful coin...
Count me in!

 

Da, ya khosu odin dolari:thumb:

 

Thanks for the information and the contest!

 

nice contest... count me in please

 

Heck, I'm in. And just a day before my birthday.
Good luck to everyone else!

 

Sounds copacetic to me too/ THanks for the opportunity!

 

count me in please!

 

What a nice idea thats sounds great count me in please.:smile

 

Wow thanks!

 

Count me in, too

 

One to beam up.

 

Count me in----I've seen some VAMS--but never owned one----have ID'ed some with the help of John B. and also almost won a VAM on ebay that wasn't listed as a VAM---it was a Morgan....and one of the berries was out of place.

Speedy

 

Va-va-va-VAM!

 

Thanks for the chance!
SM