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 Replies: 52 / Views: 9,547 |
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Pillar of the Community
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That is one serious over-worked die. Mine is the 1883-o VAM-1C2. http://www.vamworld.com/1883-O+VAM-1C2 I've got two 1C2's, one with the chip at the wing and one without. I've also got two 1C1's but still need the elusive pre-clash EDS in PL.  |
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Pillar of the Community
 743 Posts |
Yeah, the 13B is not the best example of a die variety, but I still think it is one of the coolest because of the extreme crumbling. Something like that on a modern coin most people would just say it just a very worn die. Believe it or not, I have actually found 3 of the VAM 13B, but I sold them all foolishly. All 3 were slightly different, one was crumbled on nearly all of the stars, I think that one had rim finning and it had to be close to the end of the dies life because a Cud was starting to form on the rim. I am still hoping to find a MS example someday, but that will likely never happen. 1889-O MS coins are a little too pricey for me. Heck, I will be lucky if I can find another one at all. I have always thought the 1883-O buffed reverse was a really cool one too, but have never found one. It almost looks like someone took a blow torch to the fields of the die and melted them! The EDS PL on the page sure is a beauty! Kris Edited by 7TF
01/27/2014 07:40 am
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Pillar of the Community
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Pillar of the Community
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Moderator
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23522 Posts |
Mine is more of a "found" than a found, since it never belonged to me. A few years back Bryan1315 emailed me images of a coin he'd been gifted, a beautiful MS64DMPL 1878 B1 reverse. I took a good look at it and emailed him back, mentioning that the die cracks on it didn't match up to any of the known B1 Reverses. That was VAM-85, the first new B1 since 1965 and VAM of the Year for 2010. As far as coins which have passed under my own lens, I'm of split opinion. I really like the 1921-D VAM-1H because of its' Retained Cud:  ....but the 1921-P VAM-3F2 shares the top spot for its' clear denticle clashes:  That, and it's the Condition Census coin for the variety, the only known MS65. |
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1891-O VAM 15B should be on everyones list! Wow! That is a cool one! It kind of reminds me of the 21-D 1X just not as much of a Cud. It does have a similar die crack pattern on the obverse though. The 1880-P VAM 39A is a sweet one too! I have only found one clashed E VAM so far and I sold it as a regular Morgan with no attribute without even knowing what it was, figuring it was nothing special, if you are familiar with the 1889-O VAM 20A you would understand how it can get by someone really easy. http://www.vamworld.com/1889-O+VAM-20AThat is one of the reasons I try to help people attribute their coins, because it really stinks when you do something like that. Plus, I just get enjoyment just attributing coins. The 1878 VAM 85 is another sweet one! I like any Morgans that have a possibility of PL or DMPL. The 21-D 1H, the cracks are pretty wild on that one! The 21-P 3F2 is also a very nice one too. I have never found anything with dentical impressions yet. Kris Edited by 7TF
01/28/2014 01:48 am
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Rest in Peace
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10625 Posts |
Edited by dave700x
01/30/2014 1:35 pm
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Ooooh. I love that VAM, Dave. It's the single most trashed die in the entire Morgan series which which lacks as much as one die crack. Aside the very latest state, where instead of cracking, pieces simply just started falling off the die. They got more miles out of this one than you could imagine.  It's my belief that the clashing events destroyed the obverse dies (not uncommon), although this impossibly-well-annealed reverse somehow survived. Annealing/metallurgy was an imperfect science then, and individual dies differed widely in ultimate hardness. |
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Here's my theory Dave, the die was not properly annealed causing it to be over polished during what was probably a normal duration in the basining process. This improperly annealed die was also soft enough that it didn't trash the obverse dies during the clash events. Just a theory mind you... |
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Ooooh, is just what I was thinking too! That is a cool one to have several die states of and be able to show the progression.
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Quote:
Here's my theory Dave, the die was not properly annealed causing it to be over polished during what was probably a normal duration in the basining process. This improperly annealed die was also soft enough that it didn't trash the obverse dies during the clash events. Just a theory mind you...
Improperly annealed, yes, but the idea of polishing shouldn't enter the mind of a savvy observer. How could the die be so heavily polished without losing any detail whatsoever? This isn't polishing, and I think VAMworld is wrong on that. The details sunk in a too-soft die (only too soft in certain areas) under the pressure of striking. As to the obverse dies, you could well be right. |
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The only reason I'm buying into the over polished theory is there are some what appears to be early die state coins in PL condition. Who knows, there could have been a bag or two of the very early die state coins melted under the Pittman act and what we have left are examples from a freshened die. The world may never know.  |
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Quote:
The only reason I'm buying into the over polished theory is there are some what appears to be early die state coins in PL condition. Well, it stands to reason that the die won't sink during the first few strikes; it may have taken hundreds or thousands of strikes to reach that point. The striking process itself creates quite a bit of heat; my tentative theory is that there was a point where a certain level of heat was reached - under continuous usage - and the die sunk quite rapidly at that point, eliminating many "intermediate" versions. Just a theory, although I *really* don't think the correct reason - whatever it is - involves polishing. |
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The VAM 1C over buffed reverse is one of my favorites. Very cool variety. |
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Pillar of the Community
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1878 7TF VAM 70 is pretty cool, but I have never found one. I always look at the Motto first when looking at an 1878 just to see if there is any outstanding doubling going on. http://www.vamworld.com/1878-P+VAM-70 |
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Replies: 52 / Views: 9,547 |
Posted 01/27/2014 07:37 am
