� �VAM man is back from the almost dead. Today I have a favorite type VAM for you. This is a 1923 Peace Dollar VAM 1F Chin Bar. It happens to be graded a nicely toned MS 62. I believe it deserves the star "*" or plus "+" for extra eye appeal but what can you do. I personally would photo grade this a MS 63. Maybe I'm biased. This Peace Dollar exhibits nice toning growing from around the edges. Blues, gold and peach are all present. Just as it should progress naturally. It is mostly on the obverse and edge but it is coming up the reverse nicely. The fields are very clean. Absent most contact marks. There is plenty of original mint luster. The reverse eagle is beautiful. High points crisp and sharp. In the VAM world, this coin as a VAM 1F is in the TOP 50. That is a made up number of different VAM's that we, VAM collectors, try to acquire as a goal. All need to be visible with the naked eye. The 1F designation refers to a normal obverse die with a vertical bar die gouge that runs from Liberty's chin just to the right of the letter "D" in GOD all the way down to the "1" in "1923". Peace Dollars, in general, were designed by Anthony de Francisci using his young wife Francesca as the model for Miss Liberty. They were issued from 1921-1935 with no issues in 1929-1933. They were minted in Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco. They are 38.1 mm in diameter and weigh 26.73 grams of .900 silver. They also have a reeded edge. Luckily for me, Peace Dollars are an underrated coin by most collectors. I am always on the lookout for another VAM TOP 50 to add to my hoard!! Thanks for looking. Please feel free to comment.

Here is a nice example of the toning progression on a silver Morgan Dollar. To start with it is a 1880-S, graded MS 63 by NGC. This is one of the most common Morgan dollars out there with a mintage of 8,900,000. I purchased this particular coin as I feel it shows how the toning on these coins, Morgans, changes with age and where it was kept. It is also unusual in that both surfaces show toning. AS is typical, but not always, this coin started toning at the edges and rim. It became darker with age and lighter as it moved towards the center of the coin. Not unlike a rainbow. I'll let the reader name the colors as it's hard to describe. My wife is a floral designer and I haven't heard of half the colors she sees! The reverse has a bulls eye pattern on it, also not uncommon. I guess I'm trying to say that a certain coin can tone many different ways based on the metal content and the environment around it and how it was stored. With so many artificially toned coins out there it is important that the buyer have some knowledge of how the coin should look. Beware the work of the "Coin Doctor"! Just to make a point on this, one of the first and still widely used as well as effective substances used to artificially tone coins is human urine.. believe me when I tell you the 'trade" has come along way from that. In closing, knowledge is power. Take some classes, read some books. A professionally slabbed coin is not a guarantee of everything is on the up and up..Not anymore.. Thanks for looking. I hope you enjoyed this enough to do some research on your own. I look forward to your comments.

Below are photos of another Morgan dollar from my VAM collection. It is a 1986 VAM-21. It has some nice dark toning and is a Top-100 in the VAM community. This particular VAM can be seen with the naked eye, on nicer grades. This one needs the help of a loupe due to the toning. One of the things that make it a VAM is on the obverse, what used to be thought to be� a gouge in the"M" in Morgan's signature. It was latter determined that the gouge is in fact a MPD, misplaced digit, the bottom of an "8". Additionally there is quite a bit of doubling on the reverse. This includes��doubled "TED OF AMERICA", "AR" and "IN GOD WE TRUST". Then is, at least, tripling of the "ST" in TRUST, as well as�right star and right upper wreath leaves are doubled toward rim. As a side note, this VAM was originally designated a VAM-1. This was when the MPD was thought to be simply a die gouge in the "M" in Morgan.When it was later determined to be a misplaced "8" it was�reassigned�as a VAM-21. Just a little VAM history and loar. Things are always being checked and rechecked. This probably isn't the most beautiful Morgan,to most people, but I love it as it speaks to me. So much history and so much research. I hope you find it pleasing�and learned a little more about VAM's. I look forward to your comments. Thanks for looking.SOURCED: www.vamworld.com

� �Here is my new example of �a 1913 UN PESO CABALLITO! Also known as "The Little Horse Peso" or "Liberty on Horseback". If you enjoy Mexican coins you have probably heard of this one. A little on it's history. The coin was struck �from 1910-1914. It commemorates Mexico's 100th Anniversary in its War for Independence from Spain! The coin weighs 27.07 g and has a diameter of 39 mm of .903 silver. The Caballito was designed by the world famous French medalist, sculptor and coin designer Charles Pillet. The Lady Liberty is riding her horse, side saddle, while holding up the torch of Freedom in front of a rising sun on the reverse. The obverse features the Mexican Eagle perched on a cactus with the snake in its' beak. The edge of the coin is incused with lettering that reads INDEPENDENCEIA Y LIBERTAD.�

� �So, it's been a while since I posted a new coin and I think it's time. I recently acquired this 1884 CC GSA Morgan Silver Dollar. I bought this coin from my regular coin dealer. He had set it aside for me as he knows I enjoy toned coins. Not only is this a toned Morgan, It also shows the pattern of the burlap bag it was encased in. That means it was in direct contact with the Carson City mint bag since 1884 till October 1972 when the three most common CC were auctioned off. The 1882, 83 and 84. I'm not going to go into details of the GSA sales,, it was multi tiered, but I greatly encourage anyone interested to look it up. Its CRAZY!!! Some people made a ton of money and some lost a ton, as their rare coin was no longer rare!!!!!! In 1884 the Philly mint produced approximately 14,070,000 Morgan Dollars. Of these, only 1,136,000 were minted at Carson City. Of this reduced number, only 962,638 were GSA holdings.�