Hey VAM Experts! Can there be 2 VAM's on one coin?

BigE

I have a 1921 P Morgan that has the infrequent edge reeding plus the extra berry on the reverse. Is there a different VAM number that contains both or is it 2 VAM's on one coin? Thanks---------BigE

commoncents05

A VAM is a specific identification of a single coin. There may be multiple markers or diagnostics, but it boils to identifying one VAM.

-Paul

BigE

OK, so it is a VAM 1R extra berry, but they don't have a combo with infrequent edge which is VAM 2 and 2a. Confused---------BigE

Peaceman

He's correct but there can be multiple errors on one Vam. This is a 3 error coin:

- A Vam 2c in ULDS
- A strike-thru on the chin
- An occluded gas bubble from the "W" in "WE" down between the "1" and "9" in the date.

Click on my sig line for some other wild coins....

BigE

Extra berry is a R-4, infrequent reeding is R-3, so I guess I'll call it extra berry and go with that-------------BigE

messydesk

A VAM number refers to exactly one discernibly unique die pair (and in the case of the infrequently reeded coins, die pair plus the collar). What you see in the VAM book as "1 R" refers to the reverse of VAM 1, which has an extra berry in the hub. There are many 1921 die pairs with the extra berry, including almost all die pairs that were used with the infrequently reeded collar. Your coin could be VAM 4, 13, 25, 26, 27, 28, or 29 (or later stages thereof).

The rarity ratings are only an estimate of rarity and seldom have an impact on value or desirability, unless it's an R-7 or R-8 coin. The scale used is also different from the scale used for other series with much smaller survival numbers. I did an article about this in the VAM-E (newsletter of the SSDC) a couple weeks ago. I'll get it linked on VAMWorld sometime over the next day or two.

BigE

I need to go to the VAM website then because my book only goes to VAM 14 on the 1921-P, you guys have found more since then, I appreciate the education here. Nice dollar Peaceman-----------BigE