The Ongoing Fascination With Morgan Varieties

Pretty coin. I would grade this coin MS 64. However, I would be hesitant to purchase an expensive coin 'raw' from e-bay. It is hard to tell from photographs if the coin has been whizzed. It is a polite way of saying selectively polished. I would need to see the coin under a strong magnifying glass and look for hairlines.
A dealer once told me that a large majority of raw coins sold on e-bay are problem coins. Coins that have been cleaned, over dipped, altered surfaces or whizzed.
Without better pictures, that will be a chance you are taking.
Make sure the seller has a return policy.
One other thing, PCGS price guide MS 64 is $650.00
Why don't you look at PCGS certified MS 63 or MS 64 coins instead?

I bought my 1878-CC Morgan on 7-14-1967 for fifteen dollars. I was in the eight grade. I used to mow grass to buy coins. I also kept notes on my coins when I bought them. This coin was sold to me as choice uncirculated. I bought this coin from Louisiana Gold Exchange. You can tell a lot about a coin from the luster and sometimes that is best done with the coin in your hand.
Good luck on your purchase.

With all due respect, MarkJ, you cannot expect immediate attention to a thread you post at 11PM EST. If you want valid opinions on things, you're going to need at least a full day for replies. Contrary to popular belief, we're not here 24/7.

Just for the record, I don't think I'd go above MS63 for that coin. The pattern of the frost breaks on the cheek leads me to believe that the bright light might be washing out details which could change your mind about the grade. Keep in mind, MarkJ, 1878-CC's are not all that uncommon. Furthermore, based on two or three coins purchased from that buyer, I would not trust the photos.

We have no objection to members posting photos regarding potential ebay purchases. Understand, though, that we're going to be considering whether the person posting the pics might be actually the seller of the coin, looking for business - it wouldn't be the first time. In your case, I have no doubt that you're asking exactly what it looks like, but all the same as a Moderator I'd have taken steps to make sure I was right. That's what we get paid got asked to do here.

The other thing to consider is the possibility of posting a coin that someone else wants, and then chooses to beat you out of. I had no trouble finding this one....

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Is the Top 100 VAM list comprised of the 100 most populated VAM's or the most valuable? How does a VAM make the list? How often does it change?

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The Top 100 List is what it is; it doesn't change. The Hot 50 List was created a few years afterwards to reflect some newly popular VAM's. The Elite Clashed Morgans list is yet another recent creation, reflecting the fascination with clashed coins. These are all arbitrary decisions on the part of the persons who create the list, although they're listening and reacting to market forces and popularity. The people publishing these lists are Morgan fanatics themselves; they know what's popular and what's not.

OK OK! I get it!

SuperDave,

I apologize for being impatient. It's something I am working on. I know you can't possibly be here 24/7 hitting the refresh button every 10 seconds or so.

So, you bought from this guy before and the product was not as represented. I'm very sorry to hear that. I'm glad that you could save me the same aggravation though! I appreciate that immensely.

Sorry for being less than considerate. It will not happen again.

I can't start collecting these, I jest bought a house payment!

Well mebbe one, or two....



Really informative well written coin stuffie, SuperDave! Tankew.

Ron, the point is that every single Morgan you own is a VAM. Except for the unknown ones (which we don't know about yet ), every Morgan has a VAM number.

Are you looking to buy, sell or identify VAM's? Chances are my recommendation might be different in each case.

Ron, that book is an excellent start. The Top 100 enjoys the most popularity among collectors, although tempered by the fact that a whole lot of information has come to light since the book was written. The 1897 VAM-6A I started this thread with, for instance, was a whole lot more interesting then than it is now, because it's fairly common and has been superseded by much more "interesting" Pitted Die VAM's. So you gotta take the Top 100 in context, not as the Holy Grail of VAMming.

From a purely personal standpoint, I find it a lot more fun to cherrypick my own VAM's rather than buy them already-attributed. Chances are, if it's attributed you're going to pay an inflated price for it. Of course, first you'll want to attribute your own collection.....my guess is, with a collection that complete, you're going to have at least one coin which is a pleasant surprise in terms of VAM valuation.