1878-P VAM-8 die and machine doubling? And extra pictures for the page

[keilg1]

Love the description of this Hot 50 beauty. Looked at mine as I'd not examined the details in the text and saw some wonderful sights. Prompting me to wonder if pictures might help others enjoy this a bit more.

What I also noticed was what I think might be a combination of regular (i.e., die) doubling well described - obverse: E PLUR of the motto, stars on the left side, and more; reverse: legend, star, wing tip, UNITED, etc. - AND machine doubling. Without the regular doubling description, I'd likely interpret some of these to be machine doubling...

Anyone think this might be a combination of both - or just die doubling?

First, proof it's a VAM-8 - easy enough:

78V8 3003 collage #1.JPG (91.2 KiB) Viewed 2936 times

Doubled 7, die chip on the forehead, overpolished and doubled bow/leaves and the classic A1g reverse.

Next, the doubled E PLUR (and S - some but not much going on with IBU), and the 7th, 6th and 5th stars respectively.

78V8 3003 collage #2.JPG (108.81 KiB) Viewed 2936 times

Note, I didn't see much on stars 1-4 on the left side even with this being an NGC62 grade. I don't appear to see much machine doubling on this (obverse) side but the back is different.

On the reverse, this is where things get interesting.

First the ONE and AR of DOLLAR - the O looks machine doubled on both sides, but the other letters mixed. The left and right stars not machine doubled, I think? Plus, I threw in two pictures of die scratches I'd not see described (for fun):

78V8 3003 collage #3.JPG (105.66 KiB) Viewed 2936 times

Next, UNITED, right wing tip, and the STATES OF appear to be mixed doubling?

78V8 3003 collage #4.JPG (87.19 KiB) Viewed 2936 times

Closer inspection of the E of UNITED is the real head-scratcher. It somewhat matches the "Top of UNITED tripled" description, but I see between four and five shelves... and the top of the middle portion of the E certainly looks machine doubled.

78V8 3003 collage #5.JPG (82.18 KiB) Viewed 2936 times

Hope the pictures edify or amuse some of you on a Sunday, and educate that some of our most fun doubled varieties might show complexities beyond the trauma the dies endured?

Thanks for sharing your coffee or other beverage, and love of the crazy passion, with me.

[keilg1]

Realized a few more close up pictures might better illustrate what I'm seeing.

First S of STATES:

78V8 3003 first S of STATES.jpg (139.58 KiB) Viewed 2923 times

compared with the second S of STATES:

78V8 3003 second S of STATES.jpg (115.62 KiB) Viewed 2923 times

Hopefully this helps clarify and not confuse!

[fogie]

Strike doubling.

[keilg1]

Strike doubling.

Thanks @fogie, as suspected.

But this is both strike and die doubling not just strike, right?

[messydesk]

The combination of a doubled die and machine doubling is best seen on the E you show above. 8TF reverses are full of doubling, and to describe it all would introduce too much noise into the description, especially on VAM 8, where there are easily identified pickups. This would make it more difficult for people to use VW to attribute their coins.

[keilg1]

The combination of a doubled die and machine doubling is best seen on the E you show above. 8TF reverses are full of doubling, and to describe it all would introduce too much noise into the description, especially on VAM 8, where there are easily identified pickups. This would make it more difficult for people to use VW to attribute their coins.

Agree, John. Attribution of this is easy enough due to the unique reverse. I just hadn't seen the combo of doubling so pronounced. Nice to compare shelved machine doubling and the wicked fun die doubling side by side (or, in this case, on top of each other).

I like sewing chaos and confusion, but not here.

Gary

[vamsterdam]

@keilg1 there are sewing classes available.

[keilg1]

@keilg1 there are sewing classes available.

Hee... and oops. #damnautocorrect

[vamsterdam]

autocorrupt