Spitting Eagle rarity (not)

[DHalladay]

Following up on my recent "I just don't care" thread, I decided to visit the Heritage Archives for a small peek at how common the 1891-CC VAM 3 "Spitting Eagle" is. In my tiny little sample size, they turned out to be even more common than I expected:

– There are 5,119 1891-CC sales in the Heritage archives.
– I looked at photos of the most recent 50, which go back less than 4-1/2 months.
– They ranged in grade from VG08 to MS66+.
– Some were attributed, but most were not.
– Thirty (60%) are VAM 3 Spitting Eagles... none of which are the VAM 7 version.

[messydesk]

This is why I've frequently said that if I were to make a bet with someone that I could find a specific VAM within 10 minutes of hitting a bourse floor, it would be this one.

[keydates]

I picked a unattributed pcgs ms 62 few years back and just sold it a while back.
I did buy a unattributed pcgs ms65+ on e bay about 7 to 8 months back.
It is still set here waiting to go to pcgs for attribution.
Last time I looked it will be top pop.
They were 3 on e bay a while back pcgs attributed vam 7 and none were vam 7 but vam 3.
Think two were ms 62 and one ms 63.
I mailed sellers and they still tried to sell them.
Larry

In my opinion tough vam.

[craig]

It may be a more common variety than expected, however it is an interesting one. Additionally many 90 and 91-CC dollars are quite bag marked, so a nice coin for the date is a good thing to have. How about GSA 90 & 91-CC's, usually they are very scuffy. So if a guy has a nice coin for the grade the VAM-3 is really some good frosting on the cake? -Craig.

[ljs123]

As others above have said VAM-3 is common. I went to Heritage and looked up past sales of 1891-CC in MS-66. Of the last 20 1891-CCs in MS-66, over 50% were VAM-3. More than one was in MS-66+.
I see VAM-3s very often, but I do like it when I see a really nice PL. The frosty loogie really jumps out.

I still have not found a VAM-7.

[impairedsquirrel]

I've been looking for something different. If there are so many v3's and not many v7's there HAS to be a far date 91cc out there without the spitter reverse, right? Well, I've been looking for a few years now and I've found 2-3 stupid v7's but still no other reverse with a far date... other than a couple confirmed from the land of coronavirus.

[RogerB]

I'm searching for the very rare "Spitting Squirrel" variety, myself.

[CascadeChris]

I'm searching for the very rare "Spitting Squirrel" variety, myself.

[78-sLongnock]

Is this close enough to be considered a Spitting Eagle Squirrel 🐿?

[RogerB]

Hmmmm....I think that's the even rarer "Daddy squirrel got kicked out of the nest by Mommy squirrel" variety. Although, your coin photo there looks a little "baggy" to me.