odd mint mark O over S ?

darktone · October 1, 2002 10:14AM

I got bored and started looking at mint marks on morgans. I found an odd one earlier this year and Gilbert was very kind to help me with it. I think this one is very interesting also.

mike

KlectorKid · October 1, 2002 10:19AM

are use sure its a o over s and nota damaged die? or a die crack?

darktone · October 1, 2002 10:23AM

no, it very well could be die damage or polishing or some other die problem I just thought it looked like the right side of an S sticking out.

mike

MrLee · October 1, 2002 10:25AM

What year is it?

darktone · October 1, 2002 10:27AM

1884-It's the same year as the one Gilbert helped me with. mike

nucklehead · October 1, 2002 10:30AM

I just purchased a few weeks ago an 1882-0/S Morgan (raw) and it looks quite different than yours,mine looks exactly like the one shown in "The Vam Keys" and is a Vam 3.

MrLee · October 1, 2002 10:33AM

The Encyclopedia of Morgans & Peace Dollars doesn't list an O/S for '84, just O/O's. Maybe you've got a new VAM. I think I can see a S under there too.

vamseeker · October 1, 2002 11:17AM

I believe what you have may be a Vam 10, O/O. Description in Encyclopedia "II O mint mark repunched with original showing as a wavy vertical line within left side of opening. So-called O/CC variety".

Good find, this is a Hot 50 variety.

vamseeker · October 1, 2002 11:27AM

Here's a closeup of mine, certified by ANACS....

darktone · October 1, 2002 12:05PM

vamseeker- cool close up! how did you take that picture? I don't think yours looks quite like mine though. mike

merz2 · October 1, 2002 12:11PM

Darktonr
It looks exactly like yours.

vamseeker · October 1, 2002 12:21PM

Darktone,

Intel QX3 computer microscope, it's great for getting closeups of varieties. That one is taken at 200x.

The best $40 I ever spent!

Here's the picture from the Encyclopedia. Looks awful close to me but there are several O/O varieties and they can be tough to distinguish.

Vamseeker

darktone · October 1, 2002 12:28PM

Vamseeker- that last picture you posted looks exactly like it. Now I must ask is it worth much of a premium? I remember those computer microscopes do they still make them?

mike

vamseeker · October 1, 2002 12:46PM

Mike,

Variety pricing seems to be all over the place. Vamlink lists a PCGS MS-64 that sold for $45 and a PCGS MS-66 still available for $298, just like anything else, it depends on who may be looking for one.

It's listed as a I-2 (Minor die variety with some interest to variety collectors) and R-3 (Scarce - hundreds of thousands). The Hot 50 designation adds some desirability, IMHO.

They no longer make the microscope, but they are still available through many sources. Hard to beat the price.

You need to get bored more often, it's amazing what can be found on those "common" Morgans!

Vamseeker

Conder101 · October 1, 2002 1:04PM

The microscopes are definitely available. I just did a search on ebay for intel microscope and got 157 hits of which 92 of them were the microscope. Many of them with BIN's in the 30 to 35 dollar range.

DMWJR · October 1, 2002 1:10PM

Vamseeker - my QX3 takes "grainy" photos. What do you do with yours? Is lighting the issue with this scope?

vamseeker · October 1, 2002 1:16PM

Doug,

I didn't do anything at all other than convert it to grayscale. The 10x image sucks but other than that I think it provides pretty good images.

I had to grind off some of the plastic near the lenses to be able to focus through slabs but that took all of 30 seconds with a bench grinder.

Vamseeker

DMWJR · October 1, 2002 1:21PM

Thanks. I'll pull it back out and give it a whirl. Maybe I can figure something out.

Gilbert · October 1, 2002 4:27PM

Darktone (Mike)

Nice find. Keep on looking; you may come up with that unattributed variety - now that is the thrill of the hunt, for me.

Nice image too. Shows the mintmark VERY well.

Great info vamseeker. Where are you when I am trying to get a Vam thread going? Or did I rub you the wrong way at somtime in the past?

Mike, you are going to have to grab a few of the Vam Books; you seem to enjoy this stuff, but, I'm always amenable to looking something up for you. With those kind of images, it shouldn't be too hard. Stay in touch.

darktone · October 1, 2002 10:45PM

Gilbert- thanks, it took me about forty pictures before I got a good one though. It seems like every time I look at morgan mint marks I find something

. What's a good vam book for somebody like me?

vamseeker- thanks for all your help and welcome to the forumn.

mike

DMWJR · October 1, 2002 11:21PM

It really depends on how deep you want to get into it. Choose your own depth.

If you want to have a reference to:

The best VAM's = "T0P 100 VAMS" and the "HOT 50 VAMS" (Jeff Oxman)

Every VAM there is = The original big book by Van Allen - Mallis "Morgan and Peace Dollar Varieties" (2000 VAM's)

1878 8TF's = Jeff Oxman does a book just for them

1878 7/8 TF's = Oxman does another book on them

Gilbert · October 2, 2002 4:38AM

David Wang also recently published A Guide to the 1879-S Reverse of 1878 Morgan Silver Dollars, and to give proper credit
Les Hartnett co-authored the 8tf Attribution system and the 7/8 Attribution Guide, and Michael Fey co-authored The Top 100 and most of the photos in all the books are done by Bill Fivaz.

Interestingly, I recently read an article (and I cannot find it right now so I'll paraphrase), where the author described the selection of VAMs for the Top 100 as arbitrary

Some of them are rare in numbers, but I can't say I disagree with him. There are quite a few I find hard to accept as being "the coins to have." An example that immediately comes to mind are the numerous "pitted die" varieties included in the "Top 100". Maybe there are some collectors who truly like them for their appearance, but I think many are included/collected because, well because Mike Fey and Jeff Oxman say so.

Spudmasher · October 2, 2002 4:55AM

I recently had the good fortune to meet David Wang who authored the 1879S rev of 78 at the Virginia Numismatic Convention held in Annandale, Va. middle of September. I had been interested in that particular variety and he showed up with copies of his new book looking for guess what? I happened to have the hightest graded VAM 4 of that variety known as of today MS64 NGC that I had purchased many years ago of course not knowing. Great book for the collector dealing in that variety.

TWODOGS · October 2, 2002 5:05AM

I know that I really shouldn't be doing this here, but I have 2 or 3 of the VAM-10's "O/CC" left of a roll sent in to NGC. All are NGC-64's if anyone is interested. Scans on request. PM me.

vamseeker · October 2, 2002 9:17AM

Gilbert,

Thanks. I'm relatively new here so I must have missed your efforts, in the future, you can count me in!

Oh and, you have never rubbed me the wrong way.......at least not yet!

Mike,

You're welcome, glad I could help. It's rare to get a chance to contribute with the knowledge of people on this board.

And thanks for the welcome!

Vamseeker

darktone · October 2, 2002 9:30AM

vamseeker- just don't tell any of my Packer friends I was talking to a Bear guy

. thanks again. mike

odd mint mark O over S ?

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