1882 CC VAM Help Please

Gene,,,,

The only person that can give any given VAM an A or B and such is Leroy Van Allen. As too running progression you have to keep in mind that a given VAM Set, lets say Vam-6 and then Vam-6a and then Vam-6c and then Vam-6d may not run in progression as an A,B,C and then D. This type of listing is based on discovery "Not" by progression.

The 1880 O VAM 6 type is a great example of this. The Vam-6 and 6a are one die pair, the Vam-6d comes next and then the Vam6c share the same obverse die but have a different reverse die. It also gets mucked up with the Vam-49 use of the obverse die used in all of the Vam-6 types and then we also have the used of the Vam-6c smashed up Reverse die used in I think the Vam-11a or something...I cant remember off hand.

As far as the 1880 O VAM 6 types we have 3 different shared die pairs using the same Obverse die. They are the Vam-6 die pair 1, Vam-6a again die pair 1 "clashed with letter transfer"

We now have a die swap where the reverse die was changed out giving us the Vam-6d "same obverse die as the Vam-6 and 6a" different reverse die. NOTE this die pair the reverse die has "NO" clashing "BUT" the Obverse has a very light wing clash off the neck that can be seen in the pre-polished die state in the Vam-6a Die pair 1 "with letter transfer"

SOMEWHERE in between Vam-6a die pair 1 and the Vam-6d the "dies where swapped out again" Giving us the famous Vam-49 This die pair shares the same Obverse die as all Vam-6 types and has a light single clashed obverse die. This lets us know that it was paired between the Vam-6a and the Vam-6d.

For some reason the same reverse die was again paired up with the Vam-6d and the dies clashed about 3 more times making it a very well clashed obverse and reverse die pair. It is at this point the Obverse die was Retired ..."BUT the Reverse die was next used on the 1880 O Vam-11a. I saw one of the Vam-11a coins in PCGS plastic in MS-63 that was not clashed on the Obverse...it was way cool but over priced by about 200% so it did not come home with me.

Sorry for being long winded, my main point was and is that rarity and progression is not always right by the listings. Vamming is a work in progress much like the striking of a coin. We just have a lot of die life left before everything is known.
Russ

Thanks Mike,,,for your thoughts, I personally am not disagreeing with Russ,, I am only pointing out that without
clear and clean close ups, we can not assume it is or its not, beyond the VAM 2c stage where there are some changes...I am not talking about a "new VAM designation", but rather due of new photo's, if it could be a further LDS state listings in its VAM designation...Beyond Vam2c...
AS always
I always enjoy your comments, Russ, Mike...Gene