Morgan Dollars and VAM's - When do you consider a slot being filled? 0

[powermad5000]

I know there will be a divide in the answers to this question (I already know my answer and know it will not be the same as others). Being as of this moment there are 484 accepted varieties for Morgan dollars in the VarietyPlus section, as a collector trying to build a complete set of Morgans, if you get a VAM for a certain date and mintmark, do you consider that slot in the complete set as being filled or do you require each slot in your set to be of the "normal" strike and VAM's being a separate entity? I am guessing some collectors may only want to collect the set as normal by date and mintmark and would never check the box for variety designation as they simply want to complete the set of dates and mintmarks. I am sure there are some collectors who collect normal strikes and take a VAM as a filled slot for that date and mintmark. I am sure there may be some VAM only collectors out there (being there are so many to get). I could only imagine the most hardcore Morgan collectors would try to complete a full set of normal strikes along with all of the VAM's which would be a very expensive set and a daunting undertaking having some roughly 600 slots to fill.

I am only asking this question out of sheer curiosity and maybe see where a majority of collectors reside when trying to complete a full set of Morgans.

I will open the opinions by stating that I see VAM's as a separate entity and would like to complete the full set of Morgans based on normal strikes, but I also collect some of the popular VAM's as well and being there are so many slots to fill in a normal set (with some key dates being very costly), I may not have the number of years left in me to complete a full set of dates and mintmarks, so for now, I will put a VAM into one of the empty slots I have as long as it fits for the date and mintmark. As an example, my 1879 CC Top 100 VAM-3 Capped CC is sitting in my slot for the normal 1879 CC (I do have a normal one but it is of lesser grade). I am getting back an 1880 8/7 CC and that will reside in my slot for the 1880 CC. For now the only ones I would consider as separate for my collection would be OMM VAM's such as the 1900 O/CC. Granted the O is the mintmark struck over the CC so it was meant to be a CC but was ultimately used for an O, but I will consider that to be a separate VAM entry for my set.

What does your set look like right now?

[Henri Charriere]

I am not a collector of this series but your question has interesting ramifications... Here's one.

🐓  :  He means business, Q!  He's talking about 484 V's and about 600 to complete  the whole shebang but he's already conceded he is not inclined to commit himself.  You go tell him I need just one to fill slot 137, and I'm done.

Q.A.:  But what if he says, "Tough luck, It's not for sale."?

🐓  :  Then you go back and tell him I am not in this business for my health and that it would be in his best interests to comply. Failing that, we may have to resort to that old standby... the threat of force and violence. That seems to be the only language some of these carry-permit guys understand.        

Seriously, I believe if your set is foundering and you have the one coin I need to complete mine that is grade-compatible, I would consider it a personal affront to refuse my most reasonable request. I do not subscribe to the zadokian doctrine of "being under no obligation" etc. And, I don't like to be kept waiting.  I like this whole power crazy thing.  It helps speed things up.  🤣  

[Edit: Some of the above was reworded. On reflection, I would say unless you're very young and have considerable resources, you should consider concentrating on one series or the other.  If you can do it -- compile a composite -- by all means do so; if you cannot, don't.]

 

Edited June 9 by Henri Charriere
Considerable die polishing.

[Moxie15]

To me VAM collecting is far out of financial reach so I collect by date and mint, 

[RWB]

VAMworld variety slots are like Lernaean Hydra who sprouted two heads when one was cut off. There is seemingly a never ending supply of variety subdivisions so no one can know if all are covered. This feature discourages new enthusiasts - everything becomes almost unattainable.

Several people have suggested that a core of clear, recognized varieties be created - something new collectors can grasp. Then put everything in a subvariety digital catalog for the really advanced users. (This is what has also been suggested for Trade dollars.)

Edited June 10 by RWB

[J P M]

I started my one per date Morgan collection as a MS 63 and up collection. I was able to collect quite a few coins before the market started climbing. I soon realized that some of the coins were very expensive and hard to find in MS. So I started to look for alternative coins to fill up the slots on the set. I now have a VAM and a O/CC and some MS 61.and 62, a 58 and so on. I am still hunting for that 93 and 95 that will work on my budget. In my opinion settling for lesser quality coins on the paper label is not that important, I have some great looking lower grade coins that are in their own class, and I am happy with that.    

[RWB]

"Quality" is not a number. As you state so well.

[powermad5000]

On 6/9/2024 at 1:09 PM, J P M said:

I started my one per date Morgan collection as a MS 63 and up collection. I was able to collect quite a few coins before the market started climbing. I soon realized that some of the coins were very expensive and hard to find in MS. So I started to look for alternative coins to fill up the slots on the set. I now have a VAM and a O/CC and some MS 61.and 62, a 58 and so on. I am still hunting for that 93 and 95 that will work on my budget. In my opinion settling for lesser quality coins on the paper label is not that important, I have some great looking lower grade coins that are in their own class, and I am happy with that.

I feel you on that. I have some great looking MS 63's and MS 64's which I am highly pleased with residing in their respective slots. Long ago I considered what my game plan is for eventually acquiring some of the key dates in the series and many are unaffordable for me to obtain in MS grades so I have no problem filling those slots with nice looking low AU or XF grades. My only real requirement for the set is all of the coins I want to be graded numerically and be problem free (no details grades). I have that same policy for most of my collection but I do retain some in UNC Details grades of other series if the actual details are full and sharp and the details themselves seem to be better than lower MS numerically graded specimens as well as the coins being difficult to find in any uncirculated conditions (Feuchtwangers Composition cent and my Pearson and Dana token are two that come to mind).

Turns out my shipment arrived at my door this afternoon and the 1880 8/7 CC Top 100 is a VAM-6 Low 7 with a solid 63 grade so that is definitely going to fill my slot for the 1880 CC in the set.

[coastaljerseyguy]

I built the complete Business set, although there are a couple of coins I still want to upgrade.  While not searching for VAMs when buying the date/mintage, if I got a VAM that is recognized, that was a + and a great find. My set includes some of the VAMs that were always noted separately in Greysheet, i.e. had to have the 4 78 P's, 82 O/S, 1900 O/CC in addition to 82-O and 00-O.