good book for VAM'S...info please

SUMORADA

i have a pocket size booklet that a friend gave me a couple years ago, i'm getting in to this i need the real thing, what book...books should i buy and where thanks in advance........i used to just say nice silver dollar.....................now i'm freakin hooked..............1

Rampage

1) Morgan and Peace Dollar Encyclopedia by Van Allen and Mallis
2) Top 100 Morgan VAMS
3) Hot 50 Morgan VAMS
4) Top 50 Peace VAMS
5) 1879-S with Reverse of 78 is also a good one
6) The Elite Clashed Dies


I would probably suggest getting numbers 1, 2, and 4 before getting any of the others. If you have no interest in Peace dollars, then skip number 4 and just get numbers 1 and 2.

Coxe

Spend some quality time surfing vamworld.wikispaces.com for some free info. Many of us here contribute there and some of what you'll find is quite current.

Tha big VAM book is something every coin collector should have. Even if one isn't into VAMs, ther eis a lot of other information on the silver dollar and the minting process worth having on hand in a library. Leroy's annual update comes in handy if you are active with VAMs. But just starting out, I'd concentrate on a date and get really good at it. There is a lot of fellow collector support and resources for 1878 and 1921, particularly.

DennisH

If I were to do it again, I'd start with the Top 100 pocket guide and the 1878 8TF Attribution Guide, then see what particular area of interest was sparked and where it led me.

Frankly, although I own and often refer to the Morgan and Peace Dollar Encyclopedia by Van Allen and Mallis ("the big VAM book") I find it generally too poorly illustrated and too brief in descriptions to be of "the only book you need" use. There are simply too many VAMs to cope with in a single reference work -- which is why I think we are seeing an explosion of specialized attribution guides that focus on a single date.

Coxe makes a great suggestion, and you will find that the VAM world is full of helpful and friendly people who are enthusiastic about sharing their experience and insight. Welcome aboard!

jdsinva

Yep, my shelf contains those titles as well as:

1878 8TF Attribution Guide
1878-S Attribution Guide
Fun with 1921
Analysis of Morgan & Peace Dollars
Morgan & Peace Dollar Textbook



<< <i>1) Morgan and Peace Dollar Encyclopedia by Van Allen and Mallis
2) Top 100 Morgan VAMS
3) Hot 50 Morgan VAMS
4) Top 50 Peace VAMS
5) 1879-S with Reverse of 78 is also a good one
6) The Elite Clashed Dies


I would probably suggest getting numbers 1, 2, and 4 before getting any of the others. If you have no interest in Peace dollars, then skip number 4 and just get numbers 1 and 2. >>

Wolf359

<< <i>i have a pocket size booklet that a friend gave me a couple years ago, i'm getting in to this i need the real thing, what book...books should i buy and where thanks in advance........i used to just say nice silver dollar.....................now i'm freakin hooked..............1 >>



Welcome to the wonderful world of advanced silver dollar collecting - VAMS.

If there's anything else you need to know, just ask.

messydesk

[shameless plug]
Everyone's software library should include:

8TF Attribution Wizard
1879-S Rev. of 78 Attribution Wizard
Top 100 Morgan Dollar Attribution Wizard
Hot 50 Morgan Dollar Attribution Wizard
Top 50 Peace Dollar Attribution Wizard
[/shameless plug]

If you go to VAMWorld, theres a section on VAM references. Everything that there is that anyone knows about should be listed there. The big VAM book is pretty much required, but it's not current. The good news is that Leroy Van Allen has published annual supplements for it that you can preview online or order directly from him. The Top 100 book is good, but now over 10 years old and hasn't been updated. You'll need something other than the VAM book to attribute 1878 8TF, 1878-S, and 1879-S Rev. of '78 coins without pulling your hair out.