VAM mavens, how do you do it?

dac076 · June 29, 2008 6:01AM

I probably shouldn't ask this, at the risk of being sucked into the VAM vortex, but here goes. Can someone explain the process of looking for them? I mean, we've already established that the list is humongous, so do you have a limited (or maybe not so limited) number of them memorized to keep it manageable? Do you specialize? Or do you dig into the dealer's junk box with Van Allen's book in hand, cherry picking?

BECOKA · June 29, 2008 6:08AM

I'd start by picking the 10 most popular and memorize the diagnostics.

Then I'd spend time looking through as many as you can and pick a couple that just look really neat to you.

After this looking for existing or new ones becomes part of your life.

bigmansam88 · June 29, 2008 6:19AM

<< <i>Or do you dig into the dealer's junk box with Van Allen's book in hand, cherry picking? >>

This is a major no no in cherrypicking.

If the dealer sees the book then he will know that you are solely buying his coins because they are Vams, and
that will lead him to either charge more for the coins or not sell them because he will now know that they are Vams.

dac076 · June 29, 2008 6:23AM

That's what I was thinking. The list is pretty overwhelming though - I suppose you could use a cheat sheet?

dwssws · June 29, 2008 6:30AM

unless I am looking for a particular vam I just look for things that interest me on the coin ( that is not normal) and will attribute later ( if I am not paying a premium it doesn't matter) and of course I have certain vams instilled in my memory that if I run across I am a buyer for!

messydesk · June 29, 2008 7:10AM

Your question is exactly the reason the Top 100 book was written and is in it's "Field Guide" format. The VAM book is meant to be an exhaustive list of die marriages. Just as impractical to use in the field (B&M or bourse) as such books for other series, and it includes a lot of marriages that nobody cares about or ever will. The Top 100 is a starter list of interesting and/or rare varieties that are easy to learn, and the book is portable and discrete. The problem is now everyone knows what it looks like and knows what you're up to if you pull it out. Spend some time studying it (or other lists), then make a handwritten "checklist" of notes to take with you. While doing so, make a mental note of where all the pick-up points tend to be. Then use your checklist and mental notes to go look at stuff. You might find stuff corresponding to your notes, you might find stuff that is otherwise cool. When you return to your reference materials, see how you did, both in terms of what you bought and what you missed.
Lather, rinse, repeat, and before you know it you'll be pretty good at finding the neat ones.

Wolf359 · June 29, 2008 7:30AM

Never try to collect every vam, that's burnout city.

Just look for a Hot Lips (1888-O VAM-4), or 1903-S Micro S, something simple (both are available in low grades), then work on other ones.

direwolf1972 · June 30, 2008 12:09PM

I've got a list of about six or seven date/mm combos that I check religiously on eBay. Some of those date/mm combos have 2-4 different interesting VAMs for that specific coin that I look for when checking them over.

Probably about another 30 or so committed to memory that I sometimes look for. If I go into a B&M (which isnt that often) then I usually stick to the six or seven that I look for daily since I'm much more likely to not get something confused... which works in theory but sometimes I still get a false hit or two

After that its make a mental note of anything interesting I see, come home check it out on VAMworld, and if its interesting enough go back to the shop to buy.

Coxe · June 30, 2008 1:30PM

I sold my soul to Leroy Van Allen, so it isn't too hard.

Seriously, I pared down the overall list to a reasonably long (1339 varieties and growing) checklist of ones that are interesting to me. For each date, I have an OCD routine of scanning PUPs for the coin. I also have a core set of checks for obverse only views that are tightly held.

direwolf1972 · June 30, 2008 1:35PM

<< <i>

Seriously, I pared down the overall list to a reasonably long (1339 varieties and growing) checklist of ones that are interesting to me. >>

At first I thought that you have to be kidding on that 1339 number, but then again you've got a seriously impressive knowledge of VAMs so maybe your not kidding

COINB0Y · June 30, 2008 2:24PM

I'm already in the vortex. Come on in!

VAM mavens, how do you do it?

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