I purchased this today at the New Market Md. show. This is another show Mike Dixon and company put on under the Battle Field group. I always manage to find something nice at these shows.I thought it to be a Vam 5 or 17 . I listed as a 5 but now believe it's an 17. But it has the die gouge under the second to last tail feather. That's why I believed it to be a 5. A shared reverse would have the same gouge correct?
Sorry but any attempt at an accurate grade would be mere guesswork. Can we get solo pics of the obverse and reverse. Looks like a nice coin. I'd name her "Sahara Sunset" if she were mine
I have to stick with VAM-5 for it. We don't know - at least, today - of any other usage of that reverse. The mint mark doesn't show the appropriate internal details for 17, but in truth the top loop sure does look like an RPM. Perhaps it just isn't recorded yet for VAM-5. The obverse seems pretty clear between VAMworld and your images. That gouge looks like the kind of thing which would wear away with die life; if this is the first usage of the die a second round might show it much more faintly or not at all. Sure would be a smoking gun, though.
I have to agree with VAM-5 as the date has the correct doubled 882 and that die gouge on the tail feathers seals it for me. I'm not sure about the S/S mint mark though. It appears to have a different curvature than what I would expect from an S punch. As for the grade, it appears an easy MS64 and possibly 65 but a tough call from the full coin images (great close-ups). Gorgeous obverse toning btw.
New Market was well worth the time. I would say. Nice MS 65 Morgan dollar 1882-S Vam to Time well spent.