VAMWorld 2.0

It was not simply a lowball, but an affordable grade stopper date in a PCGS date set for many budgets.

That would obviously be a question for Leroy. If 90% silver, they would not really be a circulation issue, but bullion. However, the original ones were essentially bullion anyway for the most part.

Vulture Capital, aka Venture Capital

The only exception I might make is in the case of obvious PVC on the coin, in which a harmless but careful acetone dip can be worthwhile. Doesn't harm the surfaces (unlike the PVC) but removes the problem and the reason certification would probably be rejected. There might be a conservation option f...

The recent problems probably are largely attributable to the pandemic protocols/staffing and the bottlenecks in the imaging department due to their specials related to the gold shield roll out. There have been personnel changes, as we know, and the VC activity is probably on par with that in signifi...

There was originally only one listing. I forget the details, but I sent four coins to Leroy and two of the others were my discoveries. The original is the VAM-36 listing. About a decade ago, I got also the 1F and 79. The clashed 1F was declined as separate but was later, I believe, listed.

Added to the Registry.

Looks like it was struck through some sort of fabric overall too.

Question is whether it is a Philadelphia strike even. Near slated date. Might even be able to VAM it.

While many don't believe the San Francisco Mint was operation in 1798, well before California was even considered for a US state, I have proof otherwise in this Trade dollar.

Fake. 1893-S date position is arguably far or far side of normal. That has a near date position. Run away!

Might be an altered 1898-S VAM-16. On second look, it is just plain fake.

Registry is updated. (Of course, these privately made are not in the 1893-O date set but in the set just for them.)

4 privately made to 7 Mint made die varieties (6 if VAM-1 doesn't actually exist). Be funny if there ends up being more of those contemporary counterfeits than actual Mint issued die pairs.

My grandmother tried to get me into collecting stamps as a youngster. It didn't work, but I did become familiar with the names and photos of the Mt. Everest rarities. An inverted Jenny was the #1 stamp I always wanted to see in person, which I now take as a sign that having become a VAM collector i...

I tend to go with calling it 13A if there is clear presence of the gouging episode. So 13A, 13A, 13 for those three, respectively.

Interesting reverse color.

Sweet coin!

Yeah, that auction estimate was nuts. Just imagine someone listing that on an eBay 7-day auction with a $1500 reserve.

Machine doubling at best. But see this often where they are tooled right up to the design elements. See it along the Morgan eagle wings often enough.

Of the two with that reverse, the VAM-11 is far more difficult to locate than the VAM-24. The obverse is critical. VAM-11 in mint state is a VERY tough coin. We have 27 UNCs listed in the Registry, but some of those might be misattributed VAM-24 (we have 52 UNCs of those registered).