A 2012 John Roberts apparitional find?

[keilg1]

Been hunting for a high quality version of this S/S... when I found this I thought it eerily ghostly and part of a supernatural world. Didn't know there could be a complete break between the two mint marks...

MS64 slabbed with CAC approval facilitated the decision to purchase.

1885SV6_MM_9031_GRed.jpg (153.29 KiB) Viewed 939 times

1885SV6_FCO_9031_GRed.jpg (228.32 KiB) Viewed 939 times

1885SV6_FCR_9031_GRed.jpg (214.63 KiB) Viewed 939 times

Looking forward to seeing your unearthly find.

[pup_picker]

very nice coin and images!

you will see mm "broken" like this on other denominations somewhat regularly but morgans, another story for sure.

[vamsterdam]

Don’t see many of these like i used to. A great coin.

[vampicker]

It's an interesting effect and caused by the same thing that makes some EDS RPMs or OMMs show less of the secondary mintmark than their later stages. It takes more than one blow to sink a mintmark to the desired depth. Each blow from the punch displaces metal in the die face. When the blows aren't aligned, this displaced metal can fill part of the void created by the early punch that isn't in line with the later ones. This filled area may chip out as the die ages from use.
On this particular die, there's not a great deal of variation in the mintmark's appearance throughout its progression. At best, it's just less evident that the secondary lower serif is detached.

[alefzero]

I agree with vamsterdam. Used to see these with some frequency 30 years or so ago. I got lucky finding a PCGS 65 or 66 a while back, after not seeing one for years and none since.

The VAM-8, I think, is the sleeper for the date though. I have only found one ever. Rarer than the VAM-6 and the VAM-9. And it would be a *yawn* rarity if not for the MPD obverse it does share with the VAM-9. If you find that obverse, I wouldn't put it back because it doesn't have the S/S reverse of those other two.

[UNCLE BINGO]

I agree with vamsterdam. Used to see these with some frequency 30 years or so ago. I got lucky finding a PCGS 65 or 66 a while back, after not seeing one for years and none since.

The VAM-8, I think, is the sleeper for the date though. I have only found one ever. Rarer than the VAM-6 and the VAM-9. And it would be a *yawn* rarity if not for the MPD obverse it does share with the VAM-9. If you find that obverse, I wouldn't put it back because it doesn't have the S/S reverse of those other two.

Thank you for saying that ,It makes me feel better about settling for a xf 45 VAM 8....

@k@keilg1 beautiful coin sir !

[alefzero]

.

[vampicker]

Did I cross a line on that other reply of mine?

Nope, VAM 6 hit my annual list in 2012, while VAM 8 was on the 2019 list. A guy probably wouldn't go wrong with either or both.

[alefzero]

Did I cross a line on that other reply of mine?

Nope, VAM 6 hit my annual list in 2012, while VAM 8 was on the 2019 list. A guy probably wouldn't go wrong with either or both.

Or a VAM-9 either.

[crabscrape]

I have looked for the vam 6 & 9 NEVER Found One!