What is a VAM?

      A variety in United States coins is defined as a die or die pairing that offers some distinctive feature that is not part of the normal design.

      A VAM is a die or die pairing within the Morgan or Peace silver dollar series that has been identified by Leroy Van Allen and George T. Mallis in their opus: Comprehensive Catalog and Encyclopedia of Morgan and Peace Dollars.

      Mr. Van Allen continues to add newly discovered coins to his VAM listings and VAMs And More attempts to stay current with the updated listings even though no new book has been published since 1992. Since the number of VAM listings is approaching the 3,000 mark, two writers have reviewed the VAMs and created their own lists, which have become the standard amongst the well-established core of Morgan and Peace dollar collectors. Dr. Michael Fey and Jeff Oxman last published their "TOP 100" list in 1997. All the major encapsulation companies accept that list. Mr. Oxman has also published the "HOT 50" Morgan dollar list which complements the TOP 100 and the "TOP 50" Peace Dollar book which examines the best of that series. All the major encapsulation companies accept that list as well. Oxman has recently produced the HIT LIST 40 which most of the third party graders are expected to except. Only ANACS, of the three companies which produce a population guide, identifies all of the coins in Van Allen's book and updates.

      Further review of all coins is made using the works of the late scholar, Walter Breen, which was published in 1988: Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins. Breen, however unlike Van Allen and Mallis, included multiple die pairings of similar varieties under a single catalog number even when some pairings are worth significantly more than others.

      VAMs And More uses all of the books to try and identify the best of the best. Many of the VAMs offered by VAMs And More are not part of the lists identified by Fey and Oxman and are, therefore, seldom seen for sale.

      VAMs And More uses the VAMview Retail Price Guide to set the price of coins on this site. It is believed that all items offered by VAMs And More are priced at what would be paid for the coin no matter where it was found. All coins identified as VAMs without the label so stating are guaranteed by VAMs and More to be the listed variety. VAMs and More will also guarantee the listings on coins sold and identified by the third-party graders. [The guarantee is: upon return of the coin there will be a refund of all money paid.]