VAM question: 1888-O
Bochiman
Posts: 25,556 ✭✭✭✭✭
I never did really get into VAMs, so I don't know the answer to this question, but, maybe someone here does:
Is there a VAM for an 1888-O where the top of the ear, and the hair up to just about above the eye, is flattened? Almost like someone shaved it down or something?
I have one in PCGS-62 that has that look. I'm trying to find a value on it...right now, I kind of value it as if raw. Note: I am not saying the grade is right, or wrong, just wondering if the "shaved" look is "natural" (ie...a VAM) as I haven't seen it on any other morgan and PCGS did encapsulate it years ago (I've had it over 8 years and it was slabbed before I got it) in a problem free holder. So, they have seen it raw, in-hand.
Hard to take a picture of it...I tried, with the smartphone, not sure how well it comes across....
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
Comments
What that looks like is a classic weak strike. The '88-O is known for some very weak strikes. The second photo you posted looks to me like there are planchet striations visible running in a NE to SW direction. The odd look that you see is the raw unstruck surface of the planchet.
Do you have an image of the reverse? I bet the eagles breast, legs, arrows, feet and talons are all very flat and smooth looking. I have an '88-O that looks very similar to yours and I bet it was probably struck in the same run as yours. Compare my images to your example. If you look closely at my example, you can see the planchet striation lines running in an E to W direction.
I saw hundreds of 83-o and 85-o at dealer tables
around 1986-87 with the "pancake" strike. Many
dealers said they were flat as a fritter. Worn dies
used to keep up production for the silver lobby
at that the time.
Lots of stuff to check on VAM world 2.0 in the 1880 O varieties. I'm going to look later today. Peace Roy
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It does look like a weak strike in that area...and @jtlee321 coin looks very similar. I am not a VAM collector, so cannot help in that area. Really good picture though... Cheers, RickO
No VAM for a weak strike.
bob
Thanks.
Justin, yes, similar look and the striations.
The striations is what made me think it was more than a weak strike...like something had been shaved off...but it didn't look like damage otherwise.
I've seen some weak strikes, but hadn't seen this on others and it was weird to me. Sat on it for years and finally figured I'd ask.
And, yes, the reverse is as you noted.
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
I think the non-VAM Morgans are rarer.....
I know, right.
I tried to get into them initially and it seemed that every morgan was a VAM of some kind.
One of the reasons that, unless it is really cool and noticeable, I stopped with collecting morgans much....and why I don't go after bust halves....too many overtons....
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
Every Morgan and every Peace Dollar is a VAM. The idea is to identify all (or as many as possible) of the die pairs used to make the entire run of both series. There are no non-VAM Morgan or Peace Dollars; there are only those that have not yet been attributed (or discovered).