1879-S Paf Morgan

I will say I have been reading this topic and a few things strike me, 1st SeatedNut you have come a long, long way, very well versed.SuperDave, you are also a very well versed Morgan specialist, being you had one of the sweetest Morgan collections known.
I will also say MorgansRmine, you have shown me a thing or two and I do not wish to take anything away from other's on this or another site, I have always known you to be "the resident Morgan specialist", while I am still a lover of this coin with Mary's face on the obverse, I have not kept up as you all have on this addicting portion of collecting Morgan silver dollars, I have faith in the ability of this Family to diagnose this or most any other VAM attributions, Mike....PS: B17 commander, could you please post a picture or two of the reverse,one of the 1st things I was taught to help in diagnose or attribute the coin, Thanks...

Consider what it takes to make a die "closed." Metal has to leave the building, so to speak. The field of the coin is raised in a "Closed" 9, so there has to be a void in the die. That void will not be replaced during the life of the die, save by a random piece of schtuff or a Grease Fill. Conversely, an "Open" die could become a "Closed" die by the simple expedient of a thin, weak area of a die collapsing. I don't see this as any great intellectual leap, and it leads to the concept that both Open and Closed versions of a VAM could be from the same die. The "Closed" would be the LDS.

More pictures

IMO, The fact that the wheat stalks have the similar die gouges or polishing lines, as a Vam39, maybe not exact, and the gouge or polishing marks between the letters t and y, are not visible and I still do not see a "complete" photo of the obverse and reverse, nice close ups but really need to see the entire coin's reverse, that said I would concur with the coin being an EDS of a VAM 39, this is just my opinion and all based on the information given and the close up pictures.

I am brain dead, found your pictures, very clear and sharp, ....

As requested

b17commander, Where are my manners, Welcome to this family.

I have more rust on my knowledge than most, I have been looking into this coin and here is what I see, the obverse is a- III2, the reverse is a -B2, that means there are different types of obverses and reverses, and your coin has been given this title for the distinct characteristics it bears, compared to others. If you are going to pursue this addicting, educational, hobby I would suggest you reading the Comprehensive Catalog and Encyclopedia of Morgan & Peace dollars, 4th edition, by Leroy C. Van Allen & A. George Mallis, "The Fathers of Vams".

This book is not an up to date complete guide but will give you an education into just what this subject is about, the history, and subject matter covered is great.
VamWorld is a more up to date site for this subject, however you do not get the reading material as you would in the 500+ page book.
I appreciate your photos, after a closer look at your coin and reference to the book and site I believe your coin to be a VAM 39, although I can not explain the gouge in between the letters of T AND Y in Liberty.

This of course is just my opinion,I am NOT an expert and hope this has not mis-guided you in any way, enjoy the addiction, good luck, Mike....

morgans dad, what you are seeing is an optical elusion. Note how the letters appear raised on b17s pictures and therefore so does the scratch on the fields appear raised.



Also note how the letters themselves have no damage to them. Since the letters are incuse, whatever struck this coin didn't get deep enough to do any harm on the letters.

Vampicker does VAM attributions for a living. VAM 39 it is.