Pick this week surprised me...1882 O/S VAM 3

[DurhamJnKY]

I came across this one Monday unattributed on the bay. Even through the toning I could see the heavy lines in the ear and hair so I felt sure it was a VAM 3, Couldn't really see a lot going on inside of the mintmark but I knew there had to be something there. My other VAM 3 is a late die state and I figured this one had to at least be "earlier" so I put it on the watch list, set a timer on my phone for a minute before the end of the auction, and waited.

Yes, I'm one of those ebayers who wait until the last seconds to make my bid. Naturally, I want to pay as little as possible. I know that if the current bid is higher than it should be for the apparent grade then other people are going to want to see why. The more people who look, the more chances there are that someone else will see what I think I see and the hammer price will be even higher. Doesn't always work, but when it does...

The coin arrived yesterday and, in hand, the toning wasn't nearly as bad as I what I saw in the seller's pics. I thought it was still rather ugly and hurt more than it helped so the coin got a short dip and acetone rinse. I was very pleased with what I was now able to clearly see. Granted, it's not an absolute stunning beauty, but I'm happy.

Final price - $32.25 plus tax.

Jonnie

[DurhamJnKY]

Before and after pics. You decide if a dip was the right move. I truly believe that it was the toning that kept people from looking. Well, that and the low bids.

Jonnie

[collectinsince65]

Good eye Jonnie!
Nice pick.
The bath was the right move.

[Jodemyer]

Congrats! Looks great to me!

[Malachi35]

Congratulations nice coin

[messydesk]

A dip sure couldn't have hurt it, and it does look more presentable after. Nice snag!

[belmarbeach]

Wow, great find and nice job with the dip, luster still appears present and you removed 99.9% of the dark tarnish preserving the coin never mind appreciating its value. How did you see that O/S with those pics.

[DurhamJnKY]

Wow, great find and nice job with the dip, luster still appears present and you removed 99.9% of the dark tarnish preserving the coin never mind appreciating its value. How did you see that O/S with those pics.

I couldn't see much on the reverse. I pulled it up on my phone, zoomed in on the mintmark, and took a screenshot. Opened the picture and zoomed in further but still all I saw was a fattening of the left inside. My guess is if I had been able to see anything then it would have been another LDS and I probably would have passed on it.

But the heavy lines on the obverse were easy to see and a dead give away.

Thanks all!

[morganman]

Im the self appointed pro on the O/S LOL-- First, I always look on Obv sm hair void for
the metal within set on angle, which is easy to see in pic's. If its v3 always check for 3A pup's
of bold bold clashing on reverse as U S clashing in small hair vee obv is almost impossible to see
Exciting to pick a 3A for regular v3 price, as 3A rare and expensive. No MS known to date i think

i have picked several 3A raw on fleabay making for a good day. Sometimes clashing is very bold
which gets one excited but turns out NO US in sm hair vee, which a bunch are out there like that
i still like owning those as examples of various die stages.

Best grade in 3A I've found is NAOH au58 and dwn. Sold 1000 82-o/s to a telemarketer sometime
back VF-AU55, But still have close to 1500 various grades. They have also dropped in value
dramatically, but im seeing the mkt pickin back up currently

[DurhamJnKY]

Nope, no clashing. That'll have to be a pick for another day.

Jonnie