The Ongoing Fascination With Morgan Varieties

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That's a pretty impressive list. I know that those coins are hard to find in those grades. Do you collect other Morgans as well?

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I collect all 1878 VAM's but at one time I had almost a full date/mint mark set before I started this forum and heard the word VAM, then I pretty much sold off most of the other coins and bought all the books I could on 1878 VAM's and the Encyclopedia of VAM's and just focused on 1878-P of all different varieties (7TF, 7/8TF, 8TF and B1 Reverse). Out of all the B1 Reverse Morgans I have sold I wish I had kept the VAM-70 in MS-64. Here is my whole list of Registry sets on Collectors Society (they haven't been updated in quite awhile) http://www.collectors-society.com/M...opleID=19745

Bryan,

I am looking at a really nice 1878 cc up for auction on ebay. Can I post a photo of it to get people's opinions of it before I decide to make the person an offer? I asked if it was OK to do this in the US and World Coin Grading Practice Forum but nobody is answering me. I know! I know! I am being impatient but if some you you more experienced people can help me out here you might save me from making a mistake (expensive for me at this time) or getting a coin I will cherish for quite some time!

Just waiting on approval to post an inline photo vs. a link to the auction Oz.

I appreciate that you are willing to give me your advice. I just do not want to break any forum rules.

I host the photo myself. It looks like this coin may cost me somewhere between $450 and $500 so I really want to be careful.

It's does not appear to be in a holder of any kind.

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.