1878-S VAM-19

I'm not sure about worth grading, but coin #1 looks like a 19A. Both sets of images are slightly "lacking" in the quality aspect.

it is s 19a good looking out. its at 36 with about 2 days left. I thought the same thing but I didn't want to say anything so not to sway decisions. coin 1 ive bought from seller before and was a good quality coin. really I'm just picture grading coin 1 and it looks like better than the ms-64 on pcgs. the second one is very similar maybe a little better but it looks dipped or altered somehow so I wanted as many opinions as possible before I make a decision. so far I'm leaning towards coin 1. I'm putting together a nice collection for next years auction @ heritage and these seem to hold their premium because the VAM is noticeable to the naked eye. I think I'm going with coin 1 unless someone can sway me otherwise. also a side note, I looked through every 1878-s UNC Morgan dollar and only found two of these. slabbed or raw, which makes me want to buy it even more lol

You realize 19A carries a pretty substantial value premium, right? I'd borrow money to buy that one at $100. It's a $150 coin in MS63. Who cares about the other one?

In the grand scheme of things, reliable pricing for VAMs is in its' infancy. Too few VAMs have enough sales records for reliable pricing estimates. It's a Hit List 40 coin, sufficient in itself to add value because VAMmers tend to collect by lists, but records of half a dozen total sales don't form a reliable database.

Logan McKechnie's VAMs And More website is a very reliable guide of relative worth - Logan is doing more to establish reliable VAM pricing data than anyone else - but he lists "full retail" pricing which may not be duplicable aside a lucky auction audience.

http://vamsandmore.net

received..and photographed.. grade?

as you wish..

PL is possible, how should I photo it? Take a picture with it face something colorful?

Sometimes we get so technical in our evaluations that we forget to step back for a moment and consider what this Morgan must look like in hand, out in sunlight. Holy Cow, what a good looking coin. Its' ceiling might be 63, and it may or may not be Prooflike, but there is no argument regarding the eye appeal. If this is a 63, it would likely be a or a on eye appeal unless it got PL.

If you haven't taken a nice lustrous Morgan out into direct sunlight, do so. It's a show.