Options
Baltimore Show Report- The VAM Perspective
RobJoyce1921dVAMguy
Posts: 942 ✭✭
Had a good show in Baltimore today. The place was packed and it looked like the whole convention center had all of the tables completely sold out.
My favorite find was this one:
1900-O VAM-21A Die break over MERI of AMERICA. Huge break. Never saw one in person before. Very cool.
Another interesting find was a 1923 VAM-1i. This has a strong die gouge in the E of LIBERTY.
Had lunch with Jack Lee (wolf359) and Grant Hobika, who are both amazing 1878 VAMers. Among the coins shared were Grant;s MS-62ish 1880 VAM-39 clashed E and Jack’s 1878 REV 78 VAM-167 coin. Both are very tough coins.
I made one attributed VAM purchase, an 1878 VAM-14.15 in an early die state before the P in pluribus is broken. Got what I thought was a pretty good deal on an XF-40 coin. These are very rare and seldom offered for sale.
Sorted through a bucket of circ Morgans and found two 1888 Oval Os, two 1879-S Rev 78 coins and an 1899 Micro O. All these coins are yet to be attributed as to the specific VAM and are “play material” for upcoming evenings. Couple of them may be tough as they are all VG to Fine. Bought them for 17.50 each on a day when the silver content of a Morgan is about $15.
Purchased an AU thornhead 1921-S VAM-1B6. Happy to have it but am always on the hunt for the much more rare varieties. I still need a VAM-1B2 and VAM-1B7 if anyone has one to offer! The thornhead series was recently picked as the VAM of the week starting 22 Feb over on VAMworld. Thornheads on VAMworld
The last coin I grabbed on the floor was a 1921-D Pompadour T VAM-1Q for $15.50 in AU. Didn’t think I’d be able to touch a Morgan at that price given the price of silver, let alone get a cool VAM in the process.
Ran into more VAMers on the floor: chatted with Ash Harrison, Michael Fey and Brian Raines. Ash had some amazing VAMs as always. Fey expects to publish a book very soon, encapsulating his entire quarterly Top 100 Insights newsletter history. Should be cool as there’s been a wealth of info across the years. It will also show the phenomenal rise of prices for some of the truly rare coins.
Finished the day talking to another great VAMer, John Roberts as he prescreened some of my coins at his ANACS table. I know there were more VAM hunters on the floor as I saw some folks bent over boxes of dollars with high powered loupes. Competition was clearly out there, but there was plenty of material for the cherrypickers to go around.
I will close with one final observation. It was nearly impossible to find PCGS attributed VAMs on the bourse. I saw lots of NGC, ANACS, and SEGS VAMs. VAMs in PCGS plastic, with attributions on the holder were not available. I don’t know if this is a function of the PCGS VAM registry taking them off the market or if it is that not enough are being made because of the huge $20 surcharge on top of a grading fee to add the VAM attribution. Either way, its clear the market instantly absorbs all the PCGS VAMs available right now.
Phew. Great day.
Rob
(edited to add VAM-1Q link)
My favorite find was this one:
1900-O VAM-21A Die break over MERI of AMERICA. Huge break. Never saw one in person before. Very cool.
Another interesting find was a 1923 VAM-1i. This has a strong die gouge in the E of LIBERTY.
Had lunch with Jack Lee (wolf359) and Grant Hobika, who are both amazing 1878 VAMers. Among the coins shared were Grant;s MS-62ish 1880 VAM-39 clashed E and Jack’s 1878 REV 78 VAM-167 coin. Both are very tough coins.
I made one attributed VAM purchase, an 1878 VAM-14.15 in an early die state before the P in pluribus is broken. Got what I thought was a pretty good deal on an XF-40 coin. These are very rare and seldom offered for sale.
Sorted through a bucket of circ Morgans and found two 1888 Oval Os, two 1879-S Rev 78 coins and an 1899 Micro O. All these coins are yet to be attributed as to the specific VAM and are “play material” for upcoming evenings. Couple of them may be tough as they are all VG to Fine. Bought them for 17.50 each on a day when the silver content of a Morgan is about $15.
Purchased an AU thornhead 1921-S VAM-1B6. Happy to have it but am always on the hunt for the much more rare varieties. I still need a VAM-1B2 and VAM-1B7 if anyone has one to offer! The thornhead series was recently picked as the VAM of the week starting 22 Feb over on VAMworld. Thornheads on VAMworld
The last coin I grabbed on the floor was a 1921-D Pompadour T VAM-1Q for $15.50 in AU. Didn’t think I’d be able to touch a Morgan at that price given the price of silver, let alone get a cool VAM in the process.
Ran into more VAMers on the floor: chatted with Ash Harrison, Michael Fey and Brian Raines. Ash had some amazing VAMs as always. Fey expects to publish a book very soon, encapsulating his entire quarterly Top 100 Insights newsletter history. Should be cool as there’s been a wealth of info across the years. It will also show the phenomenal rise of prices for some of the truly rare coins.
Finished the day talking to another great VAMer, John Roberts as he prescreened some of my coins at his ANACS table. I know there were more VAM hunters on the floor as I saw some folks bent over boxes of dollars with high powered loupes. Competition was clearly out there, but there was plenty of material for the cherrypickers to go around.
I will close with one final observation. It was nearly impossible to find PCGS attributed VAMs on the bourse. I saw lots of NGC, ANACS, and SEGS VAMs. VAMs in PCGS plastic, with attributions on the holder were not available. I don’t know if this is a function of the PCGS VAM registry taking them off the market or if it is that not enough are being made because of the huge $20 surcharge on top of a grading fee to add the VAM attribution. Either way, its clear the market instantly absorbs all the PCGS VAMs available right now.
Phew. Great day.
Rob
(edited to add VAM-1Q link)
0
Comments
Great report, and thanks for sharing the flavor of the hunt with us. The VAM coin show circus moves on to Phoenix next week for the ANA show, and hopefully there will be some new stuff for us beginners to find that you professional sharks haven't already gobbled up.
You wouldn't believe how long it took to get him to sit still for this.
btw....that 53 is still avail
Hell, I don't need to exercise.....I get enough just pushing my luck.
NSDR - Life Member
SSDC - Life Member
ANA - Pay As I Go Member
The ANA World's Fair of Money is coming to Baltimore July 30-Aug 3 this summer. Would love to meet you if you make the trip!
Rob
http://www.vamworld.com
and
http://www.rjrc.com
Rob
http://www.vamworld.com
and
http://www.rjrc.com
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars
All in all a wonderful day.
Garrow
<< <i>If all these mega vamers are in one place, I will be there and buying dinner. The cost is worth it, just being able to pick their brains for an hour. Small price to pay for knowledge. Anyone coming to Chicago? >>
Mulling it over myself. I'll leave the tip if I do.
NSDR - Life Member
SSDC - Life Member
ANA - Pay As I Go Member
Free Trial
<< <i>If all these mega vamers are in one place, I will be there and buying dinner. The cost is worth it, just being able to pick their brains for an hour. Small price to pay for knowledge. Anyone coming to Chicago? >>
You bet! I assume Ash Harrison will be there as well.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars