Guess the Grade - 1901-O Morgan

In an ANACS slab. Bonus if you can also guess the VAM (it's not VAM-1...)

 

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rub on the breast brings us right down to AU a few carbon spots and minor bag dings on obverse otherwise a very very nice 01o I gave her a grade of 55 though I could see 58 just as readily

 

Yes, some rub on the breast , but I gave her an AU58.

 

58

 

Got any angled shots highlighting the surfaces to see any kinds of marks / wear? I'm having a hard time seeing, but maybe that's because there aren't any?

 

There's AU58 wear through the hair.

 

Hard for me to say. Is that an older ANACS slab? I've got a 1901 O graded MS62. This one has wear on the hair and chest feathers. It can't have muted details on both the obverse and reverse and be chalked up to a weak strike. If that is the case, I give up. It seems to have some hairlines too. A few hairlines should not give it details grade. I'd give it a AU53-AU55. She's not ugly but she's not MS either. I've got a couple of coins I'm cracking out a couple of ANACS slabs and sending to PCGS soon. I can't wait until I get those results.

 

I see the rub and since you said it’s in an ANACS slab I went with AU-55.

 

just as an example, this is a "light strike" 01o, you can see what almost looks like rub on the bottom curls of her hair by the ear but that is the light strike. I pick this coin specificaly because it had a fairly strong strike on the reverse but still missing some details on the breast. Note that yours has the same fading of detail on the hair above the ear, but the reverse of yours is clean and sharp except for the eagles breast which could be an indicator of a light strike but if that light I think it would show elsewhere as well as on the breast...
New Orleans was known for weak struck morgans, so In the end I'm hoping I'm wrong about your very nice 01o and it has a better grade

 

Thats a bankers pen, or a carbon spot, which ever one it still says AU.

 

AU 53 ...I see wear and a lack of luster to get it into the high AU range, so went with a lower AU grade

 

going with 55 here, looks like the perfect A/U tweener.

 

Here's a few. So far, most have been quite off. And there's no trick.

Anyone guessing the VAM?

 

Hmm. The obverse fields say AU to me so I said AU58 but maybe they let it slide as MS61? Or tougher on it at AU50.

 

For as much "wear" that I see, it could easily just be a weak strike, which New Orleans minted Morgans are typical for. The fields don't look overly hit up or marked, but there's definitely some wear on her. Without having it in hand, it looks pretty tough to say MS or AU.

As for the VAM, I just haven't tried searching it yet. Unless it's an obvious one, they're more of a chore than a guilty pleasure to nail down sometimes lol! Especially without having the coin under my scope to compare. But I'll see if I can get some time to identify it, if'n you've got it certified already.

 

Unless a Morgan has a series of PUP clashes that are easily identified and tracked, I'm not bothering. If it's not a top pop, really not worth it. If its not a major one that I send off for grading, I'll just get it back and send off to VSS afterwards to verify if I'm that curious. As far as minute scratches in wings or near date, far date, high or low mint, I couldn't care less about those.

 

I tend to identify the VAMs on my Morgans before slotting them into my Bible O'Morgans. For whatever reason, I take it as a challenge to identify the VAM, at least on anything that isn't slicked over, before she gets a seat at the table. I also find it incredibly frustrating to VAM out 1878's or 1921's. 78's are a bit more forgiving, but 21's are ones I simply don't bother with.

My diligence of vamming has paid off, and I should receive my package tomorrow at some point. Lots of them are inconsequential, but I personally like to identify the VAMs in my collection. It's not overly time-consuming so long as the coin is in front of me.

 

I also have to admit that I have made the effort to discover the vams for almost all of my morgans including 2 R6s (one i'm proud to say I ID myself and was the 23rd found/graded )(also the 1st coin I ever submitted for grading) I'm still working to "fill" my basic morgan set (still fewer then 5 CCs and no shortage of missing Os Ps and Ss though I did fill a few real tough slots this month

 

So....

The


Reveal...

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Not a *single* correct guess in the poll. And, yes, I do feel that the grading room was a bit harsh. Proof they don't give *me* any sweetheart grading!


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On the VAM 22A, I see the telltale die cracks across STAT"ES OF", but don't see it between the 0 & 1 of the date. So, I thought this might be a new find. Maybe this is an earlier stage of the die crack from the plate examples?

"1901-O VAM-22A High O, Die Gouge Below 190 "