POLL: To remove 1878p varieties from Morgan set

Comments

• DennisH Posts: 14,010 ✭✭✭✭✭

  October 29, 2007 7:58AM

  I think the major 1878 types belong in the basic Morgan set... 8TF, 7TF, 7/8TF, and 7TF R79... because they've been an integral part of Morgan collecting for years. (Ditto for both 1879-S and 1880-CC reverse types.)

  When in doubt, don't.

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• TorinoCobra71 Posts: 8,061 ✭✭✭

  October 29, 2007 8:01AM

  Keep'em!
  
  TC71
  
  

  

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• Artist Posts: 2,013 ✭✭✭

  October 29, 2007 8:09AM

  There was a neat article about these varieties in the Numismatist within the past year - if memory serves, the tail feather variations were essentially the improvisations of brach mint employees - and IMHO, since they were therefore created somewhat intentionally they should be included in the basic set.
  
  It seems to me that the majority of VAMs are the product of die breaks, clashed dies, and double dies etc., and as such are appropriately relageted to their own subsets.
  
  Then again, I don't collect Morgans...
  
  

  
  >>>My Collection

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• Coxe Posts: 11,139 ✭

  October 29, 2007 8:32AM

  
  
  << <i>There was a neat article about these varieties in the Numismatist within the past year - if memory serves, the tail feather variations were essentially the improvisations of brach mint employees - and IMHO, since they were therefore created somewhat intentionally they should be included in the basic set.
  
  It seems to me that the majority of VAMs are the product of die breaks, clashed dies, and double dies etc., and as such are appropriately relageted to their own subsets.
  
  Then again, I don't collect Morgans... >>
  
  
  
  No, the tail feathers have nothing to do with the branch mints. Redesign and die rehubbing (for the B/A mixed reverses) are the bases for it. However, the obverse also went through a similar, though a bit more subtle, process. One of the interesting short sets I have recommended to people who like that first year is to collect each type according to the die types (obv and rev) pairings. Historically, people went by the reverse, ala the red book. Enough still collect that way to justify keeping them in the basic set. There is a fundamental question as to whether all B/A reverses should be candidates for 7/8 though. There is no complete 7/8. A couple are 7/0 and have been historically referred to as 7TF rev of 1878 (though not B1). Others are called "weak" but are really in the same class as those called "strong" and there had been disagreements as to where to draw the line among them.
  
  

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