1878 Morgan Dollar VAM-79 Morgan

Bryan, because I like you, you're such a nice guy, and you're a brother MorganFreak, I'm gonna go easy on you and give the Morgan an MS-65. Except for the smudges on Liberty's cheek which I attribute to lighting (you're using a regular light bulb, aren't you? I'll be buying a blue light tomorrow on my trip to "town" [Phoenix]), I don't see anything distracting at all except for what might be some tiny bag marks in the fields, rims are OK, luster looks good, even under the yellow light. The Eagle's breast looks a little flat which is typical for the year and it looks like there might be a tiny ping in its lower right breast, but otherwise it appears to be a nice MS piece.

As far as what a TPG might give it, don't send it to PCGS. It appears they are having a major offensive on Morgans (see my thread "1890CC Morgan" and "1891CC Morgan" which will be updated this evening). Despite all my PCGS Morgans with which I can compare, I can no longer accurately project what PCGS might give a Morgan except it will grade lower or much lower than what they might have graded it one to five years ago; they might even send this one back as circulated if they maintain their current path. Go with NGC or (preferably) ANACS. At least with ANACS, you'd get an honest opinion.

Gud luk!

Fred

Well This just got finalized at NGC and it is on its way back home in a new MS-63 slab which put me in the #1 slot for B1 Reverse Morgans here is the link to the current #1 slot at Collectors Society(NGC) http://www.collectors-society.com/r...eSetID=19238
The VAM-81 is the only one that has eluded my capture as of now

I think they were unkind to you by at least a point on the grade.

you know I am unsure what the "B" in B1 represents but I would imagine since Milton Bolender did describe the early varieties and this is the same reverse as the 8TF has but its a 7Tf variety (has the long nock on the arrow) then that is what it stands for

Bryan, getting MS-64 Morgans out of any of the top TPGs these days is about as common as getting MS-68s from the same TPGs. Case in point: about 18 months ago, a dealer friend of mine who knew I collected Morgans had a raw 1892CC Morgan he had just taken in. He's no grading slouch, thought it would grade at least MS-64 or even MS-65, sent me quality pics. I compared it with other PCGS MS-64s and -65s and agreed with him, so bought it from him at a favorable MS-63 price. I submitted it to PCGS just KNOWING it would come back at least MS-64 and was quite hopeful for MS-65. Sho' 'nuff, it came back MS-63. Over the past two plus years, I've submitted a number of Morgans, both raw and crossovers (mostly NGC) to PCGS that were absolutely at least MS-64 by any standard; sho' 'nuff again, MS-63. I think the "4" on their label maker is broken. NGC seems to be following the PCGS trend on Morgan grades. Brutal, but at least they aren't body-bagging them (with one exception, but that's another story).

Oh yeah I had a buddy that has been a member of PCGS for years send in the 1891 to PCGS so when it gets back I will show pictures of it either body bagged or slabbed

That was my gripe with PCGS: they body-bagged an NGC MS-62 1890CC and wouldn't back down, even after a Presidential Review. Said it had been "harshly cleaned". I've been looking at Morgans for over half a century and this one shows absolutely no signs of cleaning. Under high magnification (~25X), it even shows a die crack, something that would have been eliminated by any surface alteration (i.e., harsh cleaning). When my PCGS Collector's Club membership runs out in September, I won't renew.

This one opened for me. What a gorgeous set, Bryan! I can see why you're so proud of it!

Actually, the other URL also opened for me. What happened was the login section opened and just sat there for awhile. If I had waited long enough, the whole page would have downloaded.

I guess my next question would be: where are you gonna find a VAM-81 to fill in the empty hole? I wouldn't even begin to know how to search for a VAM-81 unless the auction houses list them from time to time.

Fred