What the heck variety of 1878 is this????

AtcBob

Can someone tell me what this is???
Thanks all!

DMWJR

Bob, that's a 7 over 8 Tail Feathers. Some call it "Doubled Tailfeathers", but most Morgan collectors use 7/8. What to know what VAM it is? This could be fun if you can take additional pictures as we need them.

DMWJR

This one is a STRONG 7/8 as opposed to a WEAK 7/8.

AtcBob

Okay, what VAM is this????

DennisH

That looks like either VAM 41 (my first guess) or VAM 42. Both are rated R-5 on the rarity scale, and are desireable.

-- Dennis

DMWJR

I would say 100% Vam 41, but a picture of the feathers between the eagle's right wing and leg would clench it.

numobri

Vam 41 is also what I think,using a quick glance in an old Vam's book.

Gilbert

Really does look like the Vam 41, but I have a couple of questions, because, if it is in fact the 41, the image is a bit ambiguous in a couple of areas.

1. The nostril looks polished but shouldn't be on the 41. It may be the angle.

2. The tip of star4 looks more broken than the 41. It should look almost complete with just a tad of the tip broken superficially.

One other diagnostic you can check is there should be a die polishing line going from the ball of the cap to the cotton boll leaf.

Otherwise, nice tailfeather image. Let us know if it is the 41. BTW, how is it you are happening upon so many of these varieties? And what grade do you think this coin is? It looks like it may have been cleaned/wiped, based on the image that is.

AtcBob

As I'm very new to the whole vam thing, what does R-5 mean??? Also I posted the pics of the areas you had concern about. I hope this helps.

coinkat

R-5 is considered uncommon. Varieties are often assigned a rating based on rarity. Off hand I don't recall who came up with the scale which starts at the most common, R-1, and goes up from there. Coins up in the R-7 and R-8 are considered rare.

Gilbert

R-5 for Morgan dollars equates to "Rare - several thousands known" and that is the diagnostic "die polishing line" but apparently you imaged the wrong star; I should have specified the 4th star right of the date. Anyway, it definitely looks like the 41 as previously stated.

The nostril does appear to be "polished." I don't currently have a 41 for comparison, but I do have a 41A (later strike & die state) which has other areas "polished" but not the nostril. Interesting.

Anyone else with a 41 w/o a polished nostril? If they exist w and w/o a polished nostril, I imagine another VAM designation is in order.

DMWJR

I have three that have the nostril polished out just like that one. Gilbert, can you post a picture of the nostril area of yours? I would like to see it. Maybe YOU have the next variety!

The TF's are way too strong on the reverse to be a 41A.

DMWJR

Sorry Gilbert, I didn't read you post as closely as I should have. I have two 41A's here and they don't have the nostril polished either, although the nostrils on the 41's are all polished out. Let me see what I can find out about why it is that way.

AtcBob

Man, this is exciting! Do you guys want me to get some other pictures of this to post? Let's try to find more info on this!!!

Thanks everyone.

AtcBob

Here is the new picture of the correct star....

DMWJR

That is without a doubt the broken star of the 41, and not the 41A.

AtcBob

Just out of curiosity, what would this be worth on say MS60 condition??

DMWJR

Gilbert, the only other explanation I can come up with is that a new obverse was introduced when the polishing was done on the obverse. That's the only way it could have happened. I know the two listings in the VAM book show the same obverse, but the differences probably weren't significant enough to list a different obverse. The 41 is clearly a different die marraige from the 41A.

DMWJR

Bob, there is a VAM price listing for 8TF's and 7/8TF's on www.vamlink.com. Check there and see what it says.

AtcBob

Thanks Doug, you're a big help!