Morgan Dollars Just Arrived From Canada: Two CC's

Well we need to figure out exactly what VAM you have so you can determine the value for yourself by searching completed listings on ebay and other sources. The VAM 3A and 3B are very similar but there are ways to tell them apart. The 3A has 2 clash lines coming out of the neck as shown at the top of this page. http://www.vamworld.com/1882-CC+VAM-3A

VAM 3B has 3 shorter clash lines coming out of the neck. As shown at the top of this page. http://www.vamworld.com/1882-CC+VAM-3B

If neither of these 2 VAMs match your coin perfectly then we need to keep looking through the list.

If one of them does then it can't be attributed at PCGS because it is not a List coin.

Anacs, however will attribute all VAMs.

I should note that even with the VAM attributed on the ANACS holder it might not bring as much as it would in a PCGS holder. There are lots of factors to think about. It is also good to have an idea of the grade before sending it in. You don't want to waste money on grading if there is any chance it could come back with a genuine holder because of cleaning, or PVC, etc.. I am not saying any of your coins have PVC and they don't look cleaned but you really should know how to tell these things before you spend $50 or more on a coin to get it graded at a TPG.

You can check out this PCGS link to view what each grade looks like, some years are graded differently like most of the O mints sometimes have weak struck breast feathers & cotton bolls that make it look worn when it was just struck that way (but you don't have to worry about that until you are ready to grade an O mint coin). http://www.pcgs.com/photograde/#/Morgan/Grades

This site explains some of the points to focus on when grading Morgans. http://coins.about.com/od/coingradi...n-Dollar.htm

Congratulations on your first attribution!

Any Morgan with attributes like clashed letters are not considered common but there are other factors that make some rarer than others. For instance a Clashed E from LIBERTY on the reverse is much more valuable than a lightly clashed In of In God We Trust on the obv.. Here is what a clashed E looks like in case you are wondering what I am talking about. http://www.vamworld.com/1889-O+VAM-1A2 This VAM also has several other clashed letters. Don't get me wrong there are many other things that affect the value. I would be typing all day if I tried to explain them all. Some of which are scarcity, grade, etc..

Now if it was a really strong In clash it might be different. Take this one for instance. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1880-MORGAN...047675.l2557
It carries over a $200 premium in this grade over a non attributed MS62 1880-P
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1880-P-Morg...em3a8701ecc7

A 1882-CC VAM 3A in my opinion would be worth about $300 in MS63. I could be wrong but it is in the ball park. Here is one that sold on ebay for $475 but it is DMPL coin and that adds a good amount to the value itself. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1882-CC-Mor...em2ecb6e868a

Here is an 1882-CC VAM 3A that is graded by NGC as MS62 no attribution on the holder but it was called out in the auction so buyers were able to search for it. The coin has a harsh toning on the reverse which would affect the value for some. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1882-CC-Mor...em3f2e6bd009

This is how I based the value at $300. It is just an educated guess assuming your coin is somewhere around the MS62 - MS63 grade. The VAM adds little value in this case in my opinion. Maybe an added $25-$50 over the price it would sell for unattributed if someone was looking for it to fill a set.

The third coin has a clash on the wing, nice find, not sure what VAM it is though.

Thanks Kris.....the two 1884's are just one and the same coin with extra scans. I contacted VSS but as I live in the UK they were all too candid with customs issues, etc so a non starter in sending them over.

We do but utterly stupid prices and no international recognition, so I don't bother. ANACS seem to be the most competitive but think they might be seeking to inject a more conservative rep of late and have been very harsh on coins I sent to them.

I think I would send them to NGC. They are more consistent with grading and I see less mistakes with them. I still have a coin in with PCGS I had to send to them twice cause I found a hair inside the slab on the coin each time so I'm kinda furious with them right now. And I've seen coins not quite right for the grade with them also. With ANACS they tend to under-grade coins, I keep that in mind with Peace dollars, don't know if they do the same with Morgans. I bought a Peace dollar off a friend he graded at MS64, I thought more at MS65. That's why I bought it. Got it back from ANACS as a MS61, go figure. I compared it with others graded 64-65. They must of seen something other than what I'd seen.

You guys with all your VAM's on Morgans are just nuts. But I still keep my eye out on the Peace dollars, just means I'm only slightly nuts.
Lol