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 Replies: 12 / Views: 3,053 |
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New Member
United States
31 Posts |
I am still new to Morgan 1878 8TF VAMs, and I wonder if someone can help me identify which one this might be (a coin that I bought yesterday). The obverse has similarities to a VAM-4, especially the lower left doubled stars and cracks, although other aspects differ (e.g., does not have a die chip next to the upper right denticles). The reverse has some doubling, including some of the lettering, although other aspects again differ from a VAM-4 (e.g., does not have the additional tail feathers). Thanks for any suggestions that I should look at.   s |
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Pillar of the Community
743 Posts |
I think it is a VAM 18. This was a tough one, those cracks are really close to the VAM 4 OBV. This VAM has some really nice doubling! |
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New Member
 United States
31 Posts |
Thanks much 7TF. I apparently had looked at VAM-18, but might have focused too much on the observe cracks, which seemed dramatic on my coin and are more subtle in the VAM-18 photos; I should also have focused more on the doubled date (I probably looked at a few that were doubled differently). I definitely owe you one if I am able to repay.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2797 Posts |
I'm an 1878 fanatic and particularly fond of the 8TF variety. I spent too much time attributing these when I first started out, so I bought the 8TF guide and learned the best way to start is to focus on the feather configuration between each wing and the eagle's body. There were 18 different configurations for all of the 8TF run. Some have only one VAM associated with it, like the VAM 18. Some others have up to ten VAMs with the same reverse. Once I learned these, I could glance at the reverse and tell if a coin was a VAM 18. Here's a link to a piece I put together some time back that tries to put the 1878 attribution into perspective. https://goccf.com/t/48638 |
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New Member
United States
31 Posts |
Thanks Seated, I am so new to 8 TF VAMs that I did not know the Guide existed. This looks great, and I will study it, including in context of a few other 8 TF VAM coins that I had been looking at. |
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Pillar of the Community
743 Posts |
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Valued Member
United States
166 Posts |
Dang nice looking coin tho
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New Member
United States
31 Posts |
Unfortunately, this coin came back from PCGS as having been improperly cleaned, so I am taking that as part of my initiation to collecting Morgans
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Pillar of the Community
743 Posts |
It sure don't look like that in the photos. Are there any hairlines?
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Valued Member
United States
149 Posts |
I'm guessing there's a faint patch of hairlines somewhere in one of the fields that will show up with just the right tilt in hard lighting.
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Pillar of the Community
743 Posts |
I would not grade anymore with them if you don't see the hairlines. I still can't see how this coin could be considered cleaned unless the lighting is hiding the cleaning and I highly doubt it. I would grade this as a MS63-MS64 coin. Use Anacs next time unless you are trying to resell and then I would not even have it graded. I would just slap it on ebay with the photos you have and put a nice buy it now price on it. Here is one selling for $188 in an Anacs MS63 slab that I think looks either cleaned or artificially toned. The holder is old and is from when Anacs had a bad reputation for not doing a very good job grading and attributing. Now days they are the best for attribution and a lot cheaper. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1878-MS-63-...em3a9210f0a4 |
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Pillar of the Community
743 Posts |
Here is one in an NGC holder that sold for $299 in MS61. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1878-P-8TF-...em43c8434b5bI bet the reason they were so hard on your coin is because of the value it holds in the grade it is in, which has to be around $400-$500 to the right person. |
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
I see no evidence whatsoever to think this a cleaned coin. It's in one of the new slabs with the rim exposed, right? If so, examine the reeding carefully. If you can see areas of toning - maybe two spots at opposite sides of the coin, where it was held by tongs to dip - you'll have your proof of cleaning.
Smart dippers dip the coin, and then do the spots where the tongs held the coin with a q-tip.
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Replies: 12 / Views: 3,053 |
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Posted 03/20/2014 12:10 pm
