VAMWorld 2.0

One more photo of overpolished feathers between left wing and body.

More photos - it's tough to capture the scribbles with my iPhone and loop method.

The 1921-D page is a truly intimidating monster. I usually pick up one of these Morgans, glance at that page, and put the coin back in the safe. I saw the photo of the VAMmers at FUN. Certainly must be an awesome experience, and no doubt an educational one. Maybe one day... Back to this coin. Photog...

I share your eyesight and VAM pain. Absolutely awesome photos. I don't share your photography equipment or skills.

All the reverse pitting is there, i.e. arrow heads, LA, mm, and small patch between first two right stars. I just don't see the 7 in the denticles.

Is it still a 38A without the 7 in the denticles because I don't see that?

That is absolutely remarkable, Dave. You have to explain to me the process you used to arrive at your conclusion. I am obviously going about the process in the wrong way. Do you have special software that helps you more quickly and accurately identify VAMs? Or, are you just that seasoned a VAMmer th...

So looking again at this coin under better lighting and with a fresh set of eyes, I can see that there is double clashing on the reverse. I can also see "slightly doubled top of Phrygian cap and bottom inside of US UNUM letters towards rim." I had discounted the clashing at first because the wing cl...

New ear photo showing doubling.

More photos. Ear photo is blurry. I'll post another one, but inside ear is doubled top to bottom.

Lots of cracks around UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, date, M in UNUM. Is that a break or just a crack below the 1 in date? Ear is doubled inside just like VAM-31. So, I am thinking this is a 31, but the break (?) under the 1 and long cracks on reverse have me wondering. I know die cracks by themselves do...

Yes, you nailed it. Thank you. Very frustrating for me. If I can’t get the date position right from the start, and I’m convinced I have the date position right, it leads to dead ends.

VAM-38 shows mm just like on my coin and tip of 8 in Denticles between 8 and 4.

There is some date doubling. I don't see any letter transfer, but then I have trouble seeing letter transfer. The interesting thing to me is -- if there is the tip of only one date number in the denticles -- I don't see an existing VAM that corresponds to this coin. Also, I don't see any other O/O v...

Am I seeing something real in the denticles between the 8 and the 4? I do not see anything in denticles under other numbers.

Mintmark appears to be an O/O, perhaps like the one in VAM-12; however, on this one there are two thin vertical lines inside the O, not one.

Clashing.

Now supposing there is letter transfer (n at neckline), would this constitute a possible new VAM?

Just want to be sure you are not mistaking the two deep gashes (i.e. PMD) for what I am calling raised triangles. To the left of the upper deep gash is what I believe to be the raised triangle, which is located where it ought to be based on the VW photos. The tip of the other raised triangle is visi...

Here is a much better photo of raised triangle left of eagle's beak. However, while the left triangle is clearly visible here, the tip of the right one, obscured by the gash, is blurry.

There are raised triangle denticle impressions left of beak. One of the denticle impressions has been partially blotted out by a large gash. The die marker (small horizontal thread-like die impression below nostril) is clearly visible. This coin is also (weakly) clashed; I cannot see a clashed n at ...

You are correct. Date on my coin is farther left.
Not a 16. I might need new glasses before I get the scope. Thanks.

Found this 1897-S at a local gold and silver shop. Appears to have the threadlike expression at maple leaf. Difficult to see the other diagnostics. Date position looks correct. Unfortunately, once again, my photos -- through the loop -- are blurry. I saw someone got a nice scope for Christmas. If I ...