How many tail feathers have to show to qualify an 1878 as a 7/8 variety...

FC57Coins

and if the answer is 4 as I seem to remember, is there a VAM that shows 3 tail feathers very prominently? (I don't have my VAM book with me! )

Thanks!

Frank

FC57Coins

ttt

FC57Coins

HEY!!!! - someone going to answer me or do I need to have to ruin a few living room rugs!?!

numobri

I may be wrong but,i think there is a 7/8 that doesn't show any.

morganbarber

I don't have my VAM book with me either but I thought that someone said the other day that three feathers is weak and five is strong.

numobri

The three=weak,5=strong,is correct.

paigowjohnny

Less than 5 feathers is considered weak. I have heard of 7/0 "weak" varieties....you can't see any tail feather tips, but you can tell by the strike of the feathers that it's a 7/8. I don't know the diagnostics because I don't have a VAM book...but I'd say it's conceiveable to have a 7/8 with none showing.

FC57Coins

there are other diagnostics that'll tell you what VAM it is and which type it is - the reason for my asking is that today I went by a coinshop here and picked up an 1878 in an old NGC holder without a divider - when I looked on the reverse I could clearly see 3, possibly 4 tail feathers clearly doubled but the slab wasn't designated as 7/8 just 7 feathers

Bear

Frank, are you saying that the dealer owes you an eagle tail feather.

You try to pluck one out of an eagle and see how easy it is.

FC57Coins

on the contrary Mr. Bear - I think I got a few extras in the exchange

Bear

Frank, lets not argue over a couple of feathers. Get a few, give a few it matters not.

FC57Coins

Not to the eagle it doesn't!

Conder101

I'm not a VAMer but I know there are other features on the die that allow it to be identified as having had the 7 feather hub impressed over the 8 feather impression so technically you could identify a 7 feather die as being a 7/8 feather die even if none of the underfeathers were visible. I think convention does require some of the underfeathers to be visible to merit the designation though. I don't understand this though. The die is what it is even if the underfeathers can't be seen.

Gilbert

None have to SHOW; the designation is intended to apply to any of the varieties that is hubbed with 2nd reverse over the 1st reverse. There are 7/0, 7/3, 7/4, 7/5 and 7/7. There are ocassions where they may be improperly attributed or not attributed at all, but those are the 5 configurations you can expect.

FC57Coins

I looked at the coin again last night and it definitely has 3 feathers showing under the 7. I don't have my VAM book with me so I can't say which VAM it is, but it is definitely mis-attributed on the slab.

Now the question is this:

If you find a mis-atributed coin - does NGC or PCGS charge you to have the error corrected?

Gilbert

pm regarding attribution sent

DMWJR

Looks like NGC missed the designation, but you caught it.

Bear

Still with the tail feathers, we dont need a numismatist,

we need a professional chicken plucker.