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 Replies: 15 / Views: 1,734 |
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Valued Member
United States
320 Posts |
As I've been debating VAMming and I want to get into it or not, I had a thought. One thing that I see (and in reading more of the older posts apparently I am not the first person) is that looking into the future there is a distinct lack of new collectors. I believe part of this is the catch-22 that you can't get into it without having a couple of examples, and it's hard to get good examples if you don;t know what you're looking for. Not that there's not a lot of reference material, if anything there is a certain amount of intimidation in that there is SO much information as to be information overload... So this all got me to thinking... were I a knowledgeable vammer, (I'm not!) I'd seriously think about putting on a seminar. It might just be something local, or if I had a book I had published or was about to publish, I could even make a book tour out of it...would certainly increase circulation. Theoretically a person could even partner with coin shops, to increase traffic there. I'm thinking this because I'm reading up on the hobby, but the books and internet only go so far...I think certain things can only be learned with a coin in hand and I have a feeling that even a hour or two in a "classroom" setting, with actual examples of the coins in hand and actual expert there to talk to would get a person over that initial hurdle of "ohmygodwhatdoilookatfirst" and potentially on to being a collector themselves. Also a lot of people who maybe just have a coin or two could bring it in and have a "free" attribution by the expert (free being relative, ie free if you signed up for the class) This would be threefold--- one, profit to the knowledgeable expert, two, it would benefit the attendees, and three would contribute to the continued future of the hobby (and potentially more payoff for the expert, when/if they decide to liquidate their collection in later years) If it was in my greater metro area, I'd sign up...for someone knowledgeable enough I'd easily pay $75, probably more depending on the length of the class, and perhaps a bit more yet if a copy of whatever book were thrown in. Anyone reading this, feel free to "steal" my idea, but I'd want free admission if you ever make it to the Phoenix area or at least an autographed copy of your book.  |
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Valued Member
United States
380 Posts |
This is the wrong approach. I am still very new to coin collecting let alone VAMing. However I decided to start VAMing due to the hunt. The ability of finding something rare and sought after. This allows me to hunt even when I am waiting for hunting season. Once I got the basics and understood what I liked best (Peace Dollars, but I do dabble in Morgans and other coins now also) I started looking for them. Mostly the dramatic breaks and BIG clashes. All of my reference material came from VAMworld and the Big VAM book. I have been fortunate enough to meet a couple fellow VAMers since then and we have some interesting discussions at lunches occasionally. But I got into it because it was interesting... had a hunting aspect to it, was rewarding and once I got my first decent coin, I couldnt stop. Do not sell yourself short. YOU CAN DO THIS... but only if you WANT to. No class needed. It is a lot to take in, you WILL buy coins that are worthless and you will grow out of this (eventually) But like any other hobby, it takes time and money. Hang in there... if you want. I did (even when I didnt want to... lots of mistakes and looking like a fool in front of people isn't fun, but was taken in stride and I am better for it) The friendships alone were worth it. --My 2 Cents |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2448 Posts |
I think the courses you desire are already taught at the ANA summer sessions. Not really sure, but when I remember being a member courses were offered on how to identify variation. I would imagine that you really have to know the basic designs like the back of your hand prior to entering the realm of Vaming. Even the regular coin series guides spend too much time on variations. That's how I get confused. The way it was designed to be gets blurred with the variations. |
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Valued Member
United States
380 Posts |
You do not need to know anything by the back of your hand. I am proof of this. If you are interested enough, and like it enough, you will prevail. Do not sell yourself short and do not let anyone else do it either.
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Pillar of the Community
3660 Posts |
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You do not need to know anything by the back of your hand. I am proof of this.  If Remmy can do it, 'anybody' can. Sorry Remmy, I just could not resist.  |
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Valued Member
United States
380 Posts |
exactly Lou. You hit the nail on the head. If I can do it anyone can. You too. You should get into Morgan and Peace dollars. Especially my favorite mushy Peace dollars. LOL |
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Pillar of the Community
3660 Posts |
I was agreeing only in 'great' jest Remmy.
As for me, I was born with a handicap that prevents my accepted participation. (Please don't comment on just what that is).
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New Member
United States
47 Posts |
Very good information here. As I am a new collector, I have already walked away from a few coin shows with my head up and my pockets short.
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Valued Member
 United States
320 Posts |
I'm not necessarily thinking of myself personally, I am just thinking about things as a whole. Things like what would bring new people in and help them get off to a good start. Point is that there are certain things that books or the internet simply cannot do for a person. There is no substitute for a coin in your hand, that's why we all collect coins and not pictures of coins.... and there's also no substitute for personally interacting with someone who knows their stuff and can tell you all about said coin.
For myself, I am fairly well convinced that I will lurk around here some for a while but that's about it... I am interested enough to read through posts, I like the historical aspect and appreciate the effort that goes into this huge knowledge base, but I don't have the time nor the funds to get into it to any serious extent... at least not yet.
Maybe in 18 years...? We're expecting a little one any day now & I hold no illusions of the amount of time I WON'T have shortly...
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Pillar of the Community
3660 Posts |
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We're expecting a little one any day now & I hold no illusions of the amount of time I WON'T have shortly...
Then let me be the first to offer my congratulations on the arrival of the new family member and my condolences on the certain loss of your time and money. |
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Valued Member
United States
186 Posts |
Class would be cool. But the right teachers? Jeff Oxman is great, and Dr. Fey is too. But it's hard to get enough folks together, for just a VAM class. Maybe at Long Beach or FUN show, in one of the side rooms. I'm sure they've both had a few classes... yup been to lots of them. For the Phoenix area... Mr. Rick Snow could do an Indian/Flying eagle class. You might have to buy him dinner though.... :) |
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Pillar of the Community
3660 Posts |
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Class would be cool. But the right teachers? I agree, but the 'right teachers' would be dependent upon what a person wanted to get out of such a class. We all have our own thoughts of who might be good teachers, and my thoughts of dream teachers differ dramatically from those named already. |
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Valued Member
United States
380 Posts |
First congrats. I JUST had my first child. He is awesome and I still make time for my hobby while being dad to a newborn a month old. Yes classes would be great, but for the most part are unrealistic. Attendance is the issue. The great thing about coin collecting is that there is something for everyone. You want to collect brilliant morgans, do it, Cuds, double dies, breaks, clashes, pennies, quarters, nickels, types, all kinds of stuff for someone to collect what they want. I like VAMs and especially Peace dollar breaks. You can look at a picture of a break on a Peace dollar and lean everything you need to know about what to look for. This is how I started. I had class... it was hands on buying examples and running to the internet to find out what I got. I got very lucky many purchases and missed on many picks as well. But I do this because it is fun, not to make money. I have never sold a coin. Ever. Gotta go... the little dude demands my attention. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3076 Posts |
It does NOT take a rocket scientist knowledge, to learn Vamming...There is plenty of info out there to help you learn the difference between " Strike Doubling" and more than ample examples of clashing and die cracks and breaks.....These are the fundamentals of vamming...You don't need to go to some SCHOOL so someone can show you these same things....and charge you for it....weather a coin is worth "MONEY" due to its errors...is another story.....which will not go in to here. A $40 dino lite will cheaply let you examine ANY COIN, and I mean just that any coin from ancient to modern coins....AS VAM's , the name implies its about: Morgan and Peace dollar varieties.. It must be noted that most people seem to think you can just go to the website and click on your year and there is your coin, every angle and photo's of all the little things o n your coin is there....... But this is not so....As beginners we tend to look at the small things we found, and expecting to see pictures to ease our studies and forget to start with the basics of date placement and MM position...The simple fact is, there are what is called PUP's or pick up points which simplify the determination of any vam(there are other issues here but I won't go into them now lets stick to basics) these are usually the photo's we find posted..... with these basic points of Date and mint mark location the forum usually has your coin within this region, then you can add any clashing's within those guidelines to narrow your coin down. Now this works for most of the Morgan years. There are always exceptions for some years, as within those years there are TOOOO MANY variations........2 years come to mind, 1878 and 1921,,,,,OVER 200 variations exist for those years.. So the main thing is, you don't have to be the master to see something different....follow some general rules, narrow what you think you have found.... AND ASK QUESTIONS.. there are many who will help, as it helps us to help you...DO WE NEED THE MASTERS? VAM's are like the food chain...gobble up what you can and when you are stumped,,,,AGAIN you ask questions to those who know more.. SCHOOL.......if your reading this, your already in class.....no charge.. |
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
VAMming doesn't really lend itself to "school." I could write one long-ish post which would tell you, literally, everything you needed to know about attributing VAMs. It'd take you five minutes to read, max. There are a couple dozen people at Coin Community alone who could also do that. Then, you'd either have to commit the exact pickup details of almost 5000 varieties to memory, or find pictures and/or descriptions of the specific coin you're looking at. The same (guesstimate) 20 features/differences are found on every Morgan; the combinations and/or precise locations of those are what differentiate every single VAM. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3076 Posts |
that was my meaning Dave. and thanks for pointing it out in a nut shell..
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Replies: 15 / Views: 1,734 |
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Posted 08/24/2010 11:16 am
