VAMquest.com: The Premier Morgan Dollar and Peace Dollar Auction.

The 1887-O VAM 3 7/6 is an integral part of any Morgan dollar set, whether the focus is on VAMs or not. It turns out that most of these went into circulation in 1887, so BU specimens are few and far between. Indeed, this Greysheet variety is listed at $140 in AU, $315 in MS60 and $23,000 in MS65! Also worth mentioning is its excellent luster, an attribute which is seldom encountered on this overdate.

The 1887-S VAM 4 with strongly Repunched Date is one of this cataloger’s favorite varieties. It is the often overlooked counterpart to the 1887-O VAM 2, and was included in the HOT 50, because it just couldn’t be left out! In any case, the VAM 4 doubled date feature is eye-popping under a loupe. The lustrous specimen here is particularly attractive, in addition to being PCGS registry ready.

The PCGS label says it all: “HOT 50 – PCGS MS62 – VAM 4 – Doubled Reverse.” This is the first time we’ve offered one of these and it’s a beauty! Booming luster and nice detail accentuate its appeal. Interestingly, this is the first time we’ve had one of these HOT 50 VAM 4 varieties to offer for sale in our auctions.

One of the few Greysheet listed VAMs, the 1900-O/CC varieties are popular with just about everybody, whether you’re a VAM specialist or not. As an added plus, this is the interesting late die state with evidence of die clashing on both sides of the coin and die cracks on Liberty’s bonnet. (One crack runs vertically along the back of the cap and another cuts across the tiara.) This clashed MS60, which is a no-question Mint State coin, may well be undergraded, and would fit nicely into a fine VAM set. Full luster.

Yes, we know that the 21-P VAM 41 is not a rare coin. But it’s decidedly scarce in MS63 or above, particularly in PCGS holders. PCGS holds to a higher standard on these, and few of these make it to the top. What’s great about the VAM 41, which was originally designated the VAM 1A, is the extent of the doubling on the lower reverse. There’s nothing quite like it in the Morgan or Peace dollar series. In terms of condition, there are some extraneous marks, but the luster and “look” of the coin was impressive enough to PCGS to call it MS63. We agree – it’s a jewel!

If you’re an overdate collector, you already know the desirability of the 1880-P VAM 7 “Crossbar” variety. In fact, it’s a big-time event whenever one is found at a coin show! This variety has everything going for it, beginning with the fact that its overdate feature actually looks like an overdate. Indeed, the crossbar inside the second “8” is clear and dramatic. (No faint markings here that require high magnification to see!) Add in the fact that the VAM 7 is rare in all grades and still unknown in Mint State, and you have the prescription for a truly high power VAM. Did we mention that this ultra-rarity is already in a PCGS holder AU50!

1890-O is an incredibly undervalued coin in higher grades. And while it’s encountered in lower Uncirculated levels, the population thins out dramatically in correctly graded MS63’s and MS64’s. The Greysheet lists MS65 at $1050! This specimen was hand-picked out of more than a roll quantity of 1890-O coins, and it’s one of the finer specimens we’ve seen. PCGS didn’t want to go MS65, but a case could be made that the “look” of the coin is GEM BU MS65. Outstanding luster and almost no marks make this one a PCGS monster!

As a date, 1921 has provided a treasure trove of interesting varieties. Indeed, a quick perusal of the VAM Book will supply a 1921 Hit List that will keep you busy for years. Here we offer an unusual variety, the VAM 3A with “Spiked Tail Feather” reverse. This dramatic die gouge is part of a three die state sequence. The VAM 3A-2 is the second state, which is characterized by a lump of metal on top of the “R” in DOLLAR. Van Allen assigned it an R-6 rarity rating, and it’s seldom encountered. And what about the coin, itself? It has extraordinary frost and is conservatively graded at MS63.

Think about it. When was the last time you saw another VAM 122? Certainly not in a great while! The 1878 7-TF Set contains many interesting varieties, but few are scarcer than the VAM 122, with its diagnostic doubling above the “R” of PLURIBUS. How rare is it? Coins that grade AU are rare, and BU specimens either do not exist or are so elusive as to be unknown. In twenty-five years, we don’t recall ever seeing a BU VAM 122 offered for sale. This lustrous specimen should fill an important slot in the collection of the lucky buyer.

VAM 14-2 can be found in at least two important die states. The first is the ultra-rare Deep Mirror Proof-Like, which of course represents the first strikes. The late die state shows two-clashes with a spectacular die crack running all the way down from the back of Liberty’s bonnet into the field and down into the hair above the right fourth star. This specimen is the late die state variety. Bright luster, smooth cheek, and nice eye appeal make this one a solid Late Die State MS63.

The 1886-S/S VAM 2 is one of the few TOP 100 varieties that haven’t made it to the radar screens of collectors. Indeed, mention of the 86-S VAM 2 rarely comes up, even though the variety is quite scarce, 86-S is a great date, and the S/S Repunched Mintmark is outstanding! Even so, here is an example of this under-appreciated VAM that’s sure to thrill the buyer. Grading MS62, this VAM 2 has great luster, a solid strike and lots of eye appeal. Did we mention it’s in a PCGS holder!

The 1887-P “7/6” VAM 2 overdate doesn’t get much respect in lower grades, even though it is much scarcer in circulated condition than most collectors realize. Just go out and try to find a slabbed XF40, and you probably won’t come up with a single specimen in any circulated grade. In fact, it would probably be easier to locate an 88-O “Hot Lips” specimen! That said, here is a slabbed “7/6” overdate that’s an arm’s length AU50 and is so inexpensive that it’s easy to say it’s “too cheap!”

There are three primary 1882-O/S “over-mintmark” varieties, VAMs 3, 4 and 5. All are common in circulated grades up through XF. They then become somewhat scarcer in AU and finally reach rarity status in Mint State. (Collectors are often surprised to learn that this variety is $22,000 in MS65!) Here we have a no-question BU coin. That’s important because today many of the BU’s offered for sale are actually AU coins. This example has the contact typical of most O/S varieties, but the luster is outstanding and the reverse “looks like a million bucks!” In the Greysheet, MS60, which is one grade below this, is $185.

Here’s another TOP 50 variety in a grade that is seldom encountered. The famous “Whisker Jaw” variety, so named for the Die Break that forms at the junction of Liberty’s jaw and neck, is wildly popular in today’s market. Why? The Die Break is so prominent that it can be seen by the naked eye. Adding to its appeal, this example resides in an ANACS MS64 holder, which is a “killer” grade for the variety. Destined for a top collection!

There was simply no way to capture the incredible luster of this coin in a photo, and what appears as a crescent of brown toning on the obverse actually has eye-catching hues of green and gold, when tilted in the light. With no significant marks, this coin lives up to the moniker, Gem BU.

It’s been our experience that 1882-O/S specimens can be obtained in circulated condition without too much effort. It’s been that way for decades. However, the minute we’re talking about Mint State examples, the population immediately thins out. Look no further than the Greysheet, where the price of an AU is listed at $85, MS60 is $185 and MS63 is $850! This specimen has full luster and would have been sold as MS63 in yesterday’s marketplace!

You don’t see these often, and never in this lofty state of preservation! Indeed, here’s a big-time coin that is one of the keys to the entire TOP 100 set. And in terms of rarity, the 1878-P VAM 32 is right behind the VAM 44 “King of VAMs” in the ever popular 7/8-TF set. Best of all, this specimen isn’t in just any grade, but it’s in a slabbed MS64 DMPL holder! The price of any non-variety 7/8TF specimen in 64 DMPL is most often in the $5000 range, with a Greysheet listed value of $4850. So, what does this exciting variety add to its value????

Any TOP 100 coin in a PCGS MS63 holder is a hot item these days. In fact, they often bring mind-boggling prices on EBay! And so it is with the 1921-P VAM 41. No, it’s not an ultra-rare coin, but it has an amazing variety feature going for it. One look at the massive pitting on the lower reverse, and it’s clear why it had to be included in the original TOP 100 listings. Of note is the fact that 1921-P as a date is often difficult to get into slabs. But here is a PCGS MS63 for your consideration.

Here’s a killer coin in a killer grade! The ultra-popular 1890-CC “Tailbar” is all the rage with both VAM collectors and non variety collectors, alike. Why? The huge die gouge feature running between the tail-feathers and the wreath on the lower reverse is the stuff of dreams. It’s bold and dramatic, and it gets instant recognition. No wonder pricing guides list the base price of an MS63 “Tailbar” at $3500. And the gorgeous example here is not just any MS63. No, it’s in a PCGS MS63 slab! How rare is the “Tailbar” in this grade? Listen to this: PCGS has currently graded only three MS63 specimens and only one MS64. That’s it!!!! Rarity and Beauty are a divine combination!

We’ll bet you haven’t seen many 1886-P VAM 1C specimens that grade MS64 in a PCGS slab. The variety, itself, is obtainable in MS62 or MS63, but MS64 is a much better grade for this HOT 50 variety. This example has dramatic golden brown toning that accents the creamy surfaces. It’s hard to capture in a photo, but it would be almost impossible to improve upon this one! Registry ready.

There are several “sleeper” varieties in the HOT 50 listings, and one of these is the 1884-O/O VAM 25. But when was the last time you saw one? In addition to its Repunched Mintmark, this variety shows the tops of “188-“ in the denticles! That makes it one of the few Misplaced Date varieties listed in the TOP 100 and HOT 50. Best of all, this scarce specimen is in an MS62 PCGS holder. Conservatively graded and under-valued.

If you are a Clashed Die collector like I am, and you salivate over "E on Reverse" varieties, then here is an example of the 1878 VAM 84A to take aim at. Sure, the unclashed VAM 84 is as common as dirt, but the faint partial "E" on the reverse makes all the difference. Here, Liberty's cheek is so smooth that this example would easily find itself in someone else's MS64 holder! Indeed, this VAM 84A is a lustrous specimen that's incredible for the grade, and best of all, it's already in a PCGS MS63 holder!

1888-P is an interesting date with its array of doubled die reverses. All are a part of the HOT 50 listings. Worth noting, this spectacular VAM 4 example is in a PCGS holder with the attribution on the label. The cost of that alone is more than $40. Plus you’re dealing with a premium coin. In any case, this should be an exciting coin to a lot of collectors.

1878 was, of course, the first year of silver dollar production at the Carson City Branch Mint, and generally speaking, the quality of the struck coins was quite high. And so it is with this gorgeous specimen. In terms of attribution, the widely spaced “CC” mintmark makes this a VAM 8. Proof-Like fields add to the allure here, along with a well-defined strike and white, attractive devices. Rare and desirable.

For those who love spectacular Repunched Dates, where the digits in the date show extraordinary doubling, here is the TOP 100 variety for you. The VAM 7 is the only 1899-S variety included in either the TOP 100 or HOT 50 listings, but it is an important one. Remnants of the underlying “9’s” under the two “9’s” of the date are quite extraordinary, and Van Allen gave this variety an R-5 rarity rating, back when such a rating indicated an extreme rarity. The condition of this coin is simply marvelous, with super luster, few if any significant marks and the “look” of a Gem BU. Top-of-the-line!

There are several eye-popping doubled die reverses in the Peace dollar series, and the VAM 2 is among the best. This popular variety shows strongly doubled leaves on the reverse, and in MS64 has been selling on EBay for $175-$225. Although this coin is a bit grungy, NGC liked it enough to grade it MS64, which puts it near the top of the grading ladder. In any case, the Reserve Bid of $100 is certainly a bargain!

The holder says “VAM 1D” but the Van Allen supplement indicates that the variety has now been incorporated into VAM 30. However, there may be changes even after that. In any case, a collector who wants to sort this out may find a coin with light pitting under the arrowheads interesting. And while this specimen is in an AU53 ANACS holder, there are enough “hits” and contact marks to make that grade questionable in our minds. So, we suggested a Minimum Bid of about bullion melt value plus the cost of the slab, and the consignor agreed.