1878-S VAM-9?... Help

Ok so I've put this one down and came back to it a few times but I'm still ... I wonder what those guys who first studied 78's were going through

I think I have the obverse at VAM 9 but the reverse dosent match up. Look at the broken r, it's 99.9% gone not just broken with the outline, simply gone.

Look at the dot on the 3rd outer feather, VW has the dot on the 2nd feather up?

My mm seems to be set slightly more left than VW

Looks like this rev might be right before they treated it and made the spaghetti or dragon scale wings vams?

Also, rev looks to maybe be a flattened die from the very shallow struck rim lettering?

Maybe I'm off base with VAM 9 and going down the wrong path here? I think I'm adding 78 to my 81 & 21 "only VAM if necessary list"... If more pics of different areas are needed let me know. Thanks guys!