What will happen to VAM variety collecting in the future?

[RWB]

Die variety collecting is viewed by most as a specialty activity pursued for its own pleasures of discovery. But these detailed investigations also provide insights to other subjects of wider interest such as counterfeit identification, die life, and production techniques.

 

For decades, Leroy C Van Allen has been the arbiter of all things related to varieties of Morgan and Peace silver dollars. Potential new varieties, or duplicate old ones, pass through his review before gaining official sanction and a spot on the VAMworld pages.

 

I'm curious about what steps the present leaders of VAMpire-Land have taken to maintain authoritative evaluation and content of the huge VAMword archive when Mr. Van Allen is no longer involved.

 

 

[asdfgh]

You should ask this question on Vamworld. It has been discussed a little.

 

[RWB]

I'm more interested in the opinions of general coin collectors who might use the VAMword information for purposes beyond variety collecting.

 

(The occasional comments I've seen on VAMworld have not had much information.)

[bstrauss3]

First off, I hope this is a far future event. Second I wish them well, because, well while they are nutters, they're the fun kind of nutters.

 

Think of it like a family business. When the founder dies, there will be a transition. Some businesses successfully navigate the transition others don't. Unlike a true family business, the likely successors are already actively involved instead of a accident of birth. So, while the goods are odd, the odds are good!

 

 

(In coin collecting, a nutter is anybody whose narrow interest slice is somehow different from yours. While YOUR interest is perfectly sane)

 

[Nutmeg Coin]

You will need more rarity scales and more credentials to get top dollar?

 

http://www.thehistorybank.com/perspective/may10_4.html

[Mr.Mcknowitall]

It is an asset. It will be treated as such.

[RWB]

But -- is there a "Transition Plan?"

 

Much could be lost without good planning.

[johnny9434]

im wondering if theres any younger people on the move that will be in the leadership position on this? that might help for starts. hope that was said right as well.

[Mr.Mcknowitall]

But -- is there a "Transition Plan?"

 

Much could be lost without good planning.

 

 

Concur. It was mentioned to me that there have been conversations, including Royalty issues that apparently are still in the pocket. I was very interested 2 years ago about this subject for related reasons. There has not been much in the way of info. I do have a few of the discovery pieces and am most interested in some others that I understand are still intact.

[Mr.Mcknowitall]

im wondering if theres any younger people on the move that will be in the leadership position on this? that might help for starts. hope that was said right as well.

 

There are. Monetary considerations are another issue, though.

[RWB]

[Rather than "discovery pieces" my collection has "lost pieces."]

[Raisethis2]

I don't think most Vams are are worth more than the cost to get the variety attribution. Sure some are very rare but most are so hard to see that they don't have the sex appeal of 20 years ago.

 

 

[RWB]

My questions relate to the information value, not monetary.