We all have our favorite Vams

morganman · Post by **morganman** » Tue Mar 12, 2019 2:27 am

Funny that each collector selects his/her favorites. Sure like to hear how/which is you favorite???

My first vam was a 1882 o/s bought from Mr Redfield in Reno Nv
Quite crazy as i now own 2500+ and counting, including quite a EDS stash
I personally am a sucker for the clashers/and die break heaven Morgans
3 that i began scarfing up early on are:
1878 vam 84 & 84A I sold a Anacs ms65dmpl sm wht holder
v84 for 6K - Wish i had not done that - but big money at time
1878 S vam 36A -especially B having a few high grade example
wont hurt the ego lol.
1878 vam 43- special special lots going on and PL/DMPL to boot
the die cracks are fantastic- and the mess under the tail feathe
as well as die polishing make her easy to pick. She has been a
blast to pick and fairly reasonable. Crazy but i own 200 or so
Hope you all find stellar examples of you favorites, as i have learned perseverance is key.
regards Scott The Oregon Collection

hallco · Post by **hallco** » Tue Mar 12, 2019 2:48 am

Great thread and story. Thanks for starting this one! John Roberts probably doesn't remember this...but I was communicating with him through email many years ago. He "challenged me" (I don't know if he was even doing his yearly lists at that point) to find an 1883-P Vam 10. 2+ years later I was able to send this in for grading and attribution:

I assume that he oversaw the process, but I don't know even to this day if he realized I ever found one!

Is STILL my favorite. 1 of only 2 coins I kept when I sold everything more than 10 years ago before coming back to numismatics last year. Thanks JR!

CascadeChris · Post by **CascadeChris** » Tue Mar 12, 2019 4:06 am

79s v107A LDS for obvious reasons

ifthevamzarockin · Post by **ifthevamzarockin** » Tue Mar 12, 2019 4:51 am

Nice one hallco

That is a fun one to look at in mint state. And dang hard to find!

jrfaust · Post by **jrfaust** » Tue Mar 12, 2019 2:26 pm

Great story hallco!

My favorite is a 1900 O VAM 8A....this was my very 1st silver dollar purchase 4 years ago. (eBay $29 Raw) Had no clue what a freakin VAM was

Sent a pic of the mint mark to a gent from CONECA......came down with VAM fever immediately

To this day if I see a 00 O, I have to look! OH, turns out that first silver dollar purchase graded MS 63

jrfaust · Post by **jrfaust** » Tue Mar 12, 2019 2:33 pm

jrfaust wrote: ↑
Tue Mar 12, 2019 2:26 pm
Great story hallco!
My favorite is a 1900 O VAM 8A....this was my very 1st silver dollar purchase 4 years ago. (eBay $29 Raw) Had no clue what a freakin VAM was Sent a pic of the mint mark to a gent from CONECA......came down with VAM fever immediately
To this day if I see a 00 O, I have to look! OH, turns out that first silver dollar purchase graded MS 63

Here's a pic!

: 1900 O VAM 8A.jpg (198.66 KiB) Viewed 8674 times

vampicker · Post by **vampicker** » Tue Mar 12, 2019 4:12 pm

I'd like to say I remember the pieces I look at and most of the conversations I've had but honestly, it's staggering to consider the number of coins that have passed thru my hands and how many collectors I've talked to.
At least a couple of members on this site can relate to this experience - you see a variety that catches your eye so you investigate it further only to find you are listed as its discoverer.

DHalladay · Post by **DHalladay** » Tue Mar 12, 2019 4:32 pm

1895-S VAM 1A is my favorite because I co-discovered it, I look for it on every coin I encounter (heaven help me if I ever find a Mint State example

), and they are still so freaking scarce after all these years.

I am also a sucker for 1880-O VAM 49. The obverse PUP is a Top 100 all by itself, and so is the reverse PUP. Putting those two dies together was probably just an accident, but I'm glad it happened!

CascadeChris · Post by **CascadeChris** » Tue Mar 12, 2019 4:59 pm

vampicker wrote: ↑
Tue Mar 12, 2019 4:12 pm
I'd like to say I remember the pieces I look at and most of the conversations I've had but honestly, it's staggering to consider the number of coins that have passed thru my hands and how many collectors I've talked to.
At least a couple of members on this site can relate to this experience - you see a variety that catches your eye so you investigate it further only to find you are listed as its discoverer.

Even with my meager 35-40 or so discoveries, been there. Can't even imagine what it's like to be you. Makes my head hurt just thinking about it

As for the darkside, the doc must go through that constantly..

dave700x · Post by **dave700x** » Tue Mar 12, 2019 5:30 pm

Mine is the '83-O VAM-1C and expanding to include all the sunken, buffed, collapsed, improperly hardened dies (whichever term you prefer). I just secured two more 1C examples this month....

Unc90o · Post by **Unc90o** » Tue Mar 12, 2019 6:39 pm

I really like 1890-O and 1879-S. But even those can't compare my liking to MAD VAM.
1887-O VAM-30A and 1891-O VAM-14A are my absolute faves.

vampicker · Post by **vampicker** » Tue Mar 12, 2019 6:53 pm

I am partial to this particular piece...

https://coins.ha.com/itm/morgan-dollars ... ail-071515

CascadeChris · Post by **CascadeChris** » Tue Mar 12, 2019 7:26 pm

vampicker wrote: ↑
Tue Mar 12, 2019 6:53 pm
I am partial to this particular piece...

https://coins.ha.com/itm/morgan-dollars ... ail-071515

I was unaware of that piece. I must say, the ms61? DMPL LVA Hot Lips has had me drooling since the first time I saw the pics. Can't wait to see it in-hand, hopefully soon

Raybob15239 · Post by **Raybob15239** » Tue Mar 12, 2019 11:49 pm

I don't have a favorite VAM per se; rather I am partial to clashed varieties in both the Morgan and Peace series. The Morgans are often much more exciting than the Peace, though.

iwillbenice · Post by **iwillbenice** » Wed Mar 13, 2019 12:13 am

In my hand as we post.
1922 anacs ms 63.VAM-2c1.

impairedsquirrel · Post by **impairedsquirrel** » Wed Mar 13, 2019 2:46 am

John Roberts: Crusher of hopes and dreams... and teacher's pet.

vamsterdam · Post by **vamsterdam** » Wed Mar 13, 2019 3:12 pm

It is so hard to narrow it down. I loved the thornhead series, all the way back to the 15d,e,f and then the bro the gouges but the 1879s series really gets me lit up. Discovering 79s v34b and v57 turned me towards studying this fascinating experiment with reducing the relief so the coins would stack better and then the subsequent acid etching to add back in missing details..

morganman · Post by **morganman** » Wed Mar 13, 2019 3:32 pm

Thanks to all here - for telling us your favorites
this also supplies us more prospective on various varieties that many of us were unaware or forgot
back in 1963 when i started as a farm kid- we collectors had no clue how Morgan collecting would
evolve. I sometimes wonder what the old hoarders like redfield & many others would have thought
about all these errors/vams. In my era- I am so priviledged to have known and worked with
Gene Henry, a very early vam nut/super knowledgable hoarder. John Love -sure like to hear more
of his stories/trials/tribulations/history-as i get excited about our Morgan dollar stories

bhinkle · Post by **bhinkle** » Fri Mar 15, 2019 7:50 pm

Hey Scott,
I can't come close to your great collection of vams Scott, but here is one of my most exciting finds.
An 1878 NGCMS63DPL 8TF VAM 23.
I saw it online and put a very high max bid on it, because I just wanted it., for my collection.
A nicely toned, DPL, 8 TF VAM 23 and to my surprise no one else bid.
Take care, Bert