Pinpointing what VAM my 1880-S (medium S) is?
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Pinpointing what VAM my 1880-S (medium S) is?
I have been trying figure out which VAM this 1880-S (medium S) is and I was wondering if someone could point me in the right direction. I want to say that the mintmark is tilted left but I am uncertain if it is.
- Attachments
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- What appears to be a clash mark under chin?
- S20230319_0004.jpg (497.52 KiB) Viewed 442 times
Last edited by johnhenry9009 on Wed Mar 22, 2023 10:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: I need some help finding what VAM this 1880-S is?
Photo of the whole coin, I do apologize for the graininess of the photo.
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Re: I need some help finding what VAM this 1880-S is?
Good afternoon,
Hopefully you didn’t pay ms66 $
As the coin may only be a strong ms63
If graded by true numismatists
How does it compare to vam 124(no chip?)
Hopefully you didn’t pay ms66 $
As the coin may only be a strong ms63
If graded by true numismatists
How does it compare to vam 124(no chip?)
Challenge yourself,start doing your own date study!
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- Location: Illinois
Re: I need some help finding what VAM this 1880-S is?
Might take a look at V45. Similar scratches in field around mm and similar date doubling. Can't tell if profile is doubled as listed for V45 from the pics you provided. I don't think that mark at the neck is a clash - orientation is off and no other signs of clash I noticed.
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Re: I need some help finding what VAM this 1880-S is?
Here are some more photos.
more photos of the reverse.
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- Posts: 119
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Re: I need some help finding what VAM this 1880-S is?
To answer your questions Mr. Mysterio, I bought it for $45,Vam-mysterio wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 7:38 pmGood afternoon,
Hopefully you didn’t pay ms66 $
As the coin may only be a strong ms63
If graded by true numismatists
How does it compare to vam 124(no chip?)

Re: I need some help finding what VAM this 1880-S is?
Looks tilted to me.
Educational opportunity: Searching the 80S page for 'tilt' only IDs the following as tilted left medium MMs: 40/40A, 61, 65 and 114. Not quite correct information? Partially because of confusion and partially because there are other varieties with tilted medium MMs that don't appear in their titles...
Confusion: The 40 and 40A pages say "ALERT: 1880-S VAM-40A is listed with type VI Large S ...VAM-40 is listed with a type IV Medium S". The 40 page doesn't show the MM and the 40A page shows a medium MM, but it doesn't look that tilted to me. Doesn't matter, b/c the MM on your coin is definitely more tilted?
I'll let you explore if you think you coin matches the 61, but you'll not be able to compare with the other two as they're lacking pictures... Adding to the confusion.
You can brute force your way through all the medium S MM pages, or you could try http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compu ... _S_Type_IV as it looks you might have an S/S line through the upper loop? Kinda like the VAM-49, but date doesn't quite agree...
Which leads to looking at the date. Looking up doubled "1-80" descriptions shows a few possibilities, but there is still confusion: VAM-102 is listed as a potential but has a large VI S MM (listed in the medium MM section), and the others lack pictures or don't look like yours...
Sorry I'm full of information but not a solution for you. Hoping this will encourage you to keep hunting and for us to attempt helping...
Educational opportunity: Searching the 80S page for 'tilt' only IDs the following as tilted left medium MMs: 40/40A, 61, 65 and 114. Not quite correct information? Partially because of confusion and partially because there are other varieties with tilted medium MMs that don't appear in their titles...
Confusion: The 40 and 40A pages say "ALERT: 1880-S VAM-40A is listed with type VI Large S ...VAM-40 is listed with a type IV Medium S". The 40 page doesn't show the MM and the 40A page shows a medium MM, but it doesn't look that tilted to me. Doesn't matter, b/c the MM on your coin is definitely more tilted?
I'll let you explore if you think you coin matches the 61, but you'll not be able to compare with the other two as they're lacking pictures... Adding to the confusion.
You can brute force your way through all the medium S MM pages, or you could try http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compu ... _S_Type_IV as it looks you might have an S/S line through the upper loop? Kinda like the VAM-49, but date doesn't quite agree...
Which leads to looking at the date. Looking up doubled "1-80" descriptions shows a few possibilities, but there is still confusion: VAM-102 is listed as a potential but has a large VI S MM (listed in the medium MM section), and the others lack pictures or don't look like yours...
Sorry I'm full of information but not a solution for you. Hoping this will encourage you to keep hunting and for us to attempt helping...
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Re: I need some help finding what VAM this 1880-S is?
Thank you very much Mr. keilg1,
I greatly appreciate the information you have given me because even though it doesn't give me a direct answer it allows me to do my own research. Sense in my opinion it would not be as fun to look through Morgan dollar VAMs if the solution was clear cut, I personally like there to be some difficulty in figuring out which VAM a Morgan is. 


Re: I need some help finding what VAM this 1880-S is?
I love the hunt... I love the puzzle... I love the frustrations... Glad to hear you're similar. I'm dealing with a few 1881-S coins - not any easier!johnhenry9009 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 21, 2023 1:44 pmThank you very much Mr. keilg1,I greatly appreciate the information you have given me because even though it doesn't give me a direct answer it allows me to do my own research. Sense in my opinion it would not be as fun to look through Morgan dollar VAMs if the solution was clear cut, I personally like there to be some difficulty in figuring out which VAM a Morgan is.
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Re: I need some help finding what VAM this 1880-S is?
I wish you good luck and god speed Mr. keilg1 
(edit) here are some photos of the wreath and I do apologize for the graininess of the photos.

(edit) here are some photos of the wreath and I do apologize for the graininess of the photos.
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Re: I need some help finding what VAM this 1880-S is?
Closer photos of date (KEY: Black Arrows= dbl , White Arrows= Die Chips , Gray Arrows= Questionable dbl)
Last edited by johnhenry9009 on Thu Mar 23, 2023 2:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: I need some help finding what VAM this 1880-S is?
I tried my best to take the clearest photo I could of the mintmark
. So I do apologize if it is too grainy to see anything of importance.


- UNCLE BINGO
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Re: I need some help finding what VAM this 1880-S is?
What about the tail feathers just below the arrows good sir?
Proud winner of Worst new Vammer of the year 

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Re: I need some help finding what VAM this 1880-S is?
As per your request.UNCLE BINGO wrote: ↑Wed Mar 22, 2023 5:45 pmWhat about the tail feathers just below the arrows good sir?
- UNCLE BINGO
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Re: I need some help finding what VAM this 1880-S is?
shoot . no scratchies
Thanks...


Proud winner of Worst new Vammer of the year 

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Re: Pinpointing what VAM my 1880-S (medium S) is?
There appears to be a die polishing mark/die crack on the 3rd star?, here are some photos.
Here is a photo of the cap.

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Re: Pinpointing what VAM my 1880-S (medium S) is?
I decided to crack it out of the holder in order to get better photos. I do apologize for the graininess of the bow photo.
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Re: Pinpointing what VAM my 1880-S (medium S) is?
and here is a photo of the wing/neck gap.