Understanding the relationship between thirteen die pairs is essential to understanding the relationship and possible connections between these thirteen VAMs.  This is a continuation of the discussion from February and March, and here we examine the reverse dies of ten VAMs sharing the designation of Reverse Die l (lowercase L).  Three VAMs have different designations but are included because of VAMworld references or notations.  They are:

• VAM 60 with a designation of Reverse Die r
• VAM 67 with a designation of Reverse Die s
• VAM 34A with a designation of Reverse Die a

We are not taking at face value that they are the same, but as with others in this discussion we are using die cracks, or failure evidence, to draw connections.  As with the earlier group we are sure some will be connections can be proven and some not, but that is what this is all about.

For this analysis we have used the following inventory count:

VAM 3 - Doubled 18-1, O Set Left - 19 Coins

VAM 23 - Doubled Profile, O Set Left - 11 Coins

VAM 32 - Doubled 18-1, O Set Left - 12 Coins

VAM 34A - Doubled 18, Pinned Wing - 18 Coins

VAM 35 - Doubled 188, O Set Left - 13 Coins

VAM 35? - Possible New VAM - 1 Coin

VAM 54 - Doubled Right 1 Bottom, O Set Left - 18 Coins

VAM 56 - Doubled Right 1 Lower Right - 5 Coins

VAM-57 - Doubled Ear Right Inside, O Set Left - 3 Coins

VAM 60 - Doubled OF AMERICA, O/O Left and Set Left - 2 Coins

VAM 61 - Doubled 18, O Set Left - 13 Coins

VAM 64 - Doubled 18, Polished Forehead, O Set Left - 1 Coin

VAM 67 - Doubled 18 and Upper Reverse - 6 Coins

VAM 70 - Doubled Cap Top, UNUM, O Set Left - 2 Coins

This is obviously a large group of coins to examine, 124 to be exact, but we have some added incentive to examine this group.  There are eight VAMs in this discussion (54, 56, 57, 60, 61, 64, 67, and 70) where we are the discoverer of the VAM.  Validating that information takes on added importance to us.

VAM 32 - Doubled 18-1, O Set Left    Coin 24042336

VAM 34A - Doubled 18, Pinned Wing    Coin 31774629

VAM 61 - Doubled 18, O Set Left    Coin 81669484

VAM 64 - Doubled 18, Polished Forehead, O Set Left    Coin 30399745

VAM 67 - Doubled 18 and Upper Reverse    Coin 32681721

VAM 70 - Doubled Cap Top, UNUM, O Set Left    Coin 80467529

Taking it one issue at a time

This is a long discussion and we have to remind ourselves that this is about reverse dies, with obverse dies used to understand pairings.  This is about die cracks with other features used for confirmation.  We will get into the issue of are all "O Set Left" dies the same, but that is a follow on discussion.

Of the VAMs in this discussion we can rule out VAMs 23, 32, 34A, 35, 54, 56, 57, 60, 67, and 70.  In our inventory none of these coins show any signs of die cracks or breaks.  We may find coins in the future that do, but for now these are not part of the discussion.  We have included the VAM 35 coin we believe to be different, but not the recognized VAM 35.  So we are left with a mere four VAMs to analyze and the die crack portion of this analysis begins to look much more manageable.  These four are VAMs 3, 35?, 61, and 64.

Trying to draw conclusions about the similarity of these dies based on die cracks is going to be difficult at best.  Of the four the only similarity we can see is between VAMs 3 and 35?, and this would be based on the die cracks in UNITED and DO.  It is also difficult to visualize how the dies could have been repolished to produce these die cracks in sequence.

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Looking at the right wing it appears that the polishing sequence would have to have been VAMs 3, 61, 35?, and 64.  However, it seems unlikely that the cracks that materialized in the wreaths for VAMs 35? and 61 could have been completely repaired and not failed again in later use.

Sneaking a peek at the obverses for these four coins there is no discernible connection between them.

So where do we go from here?  Well next month we will go back to the whole group and look at three characteristics that might just sort out the "O Set Left" group of VAMs.  We will examine the Mint Mark, Mint Mark placement, and Wing-Neck gap.

We feel like we need to continue on with this group outside of the die crack study because of the time span aver which these discoveries were identified.

VAM 3 - Doubled 18-1, O Set Left - 1965 (George Mallis)

VAM 23 - Doubled Profile, O Set Left - 1982 (Martin Field)

VAM 32 - Doubled 18-1, O Set Left - 2001 (Marc Serafine), revised 2017

VAM 34A - Doubled 18, Pinned Wing - 2010 (Rickey Bailey)

VAM 35 - Doubled 188, O Set Left - 2005 (Mike Best)

VAM 35 - Possible New VAM - ?

VAM 54 - Doubled Right 1 Bottom, O Set Left - 2015 (HawkeEye)

VAM 56 - Doubled Right 1 Lower Right - 2015 (HawkeEye)

VAM-57 - Doubled Ear Right Inside, O Set Left - 2015 (HawkeEye)

VAM 60 - Doubled OF AMERICA, O/O Left and Set Left - 2015 (HawkeEye)

VAM 61 - Doubled 18, O Set Left - 2015 (HawkeEye)

VAM 64 - Doubled 18, Polished Forehead, O Set Left - 2015 (HawkeEye)

VAM 67 - Doubled 18 and Upper Reverse - 2016 (HawkeEye)

VAM 70 - Doubled Cap Top, UNUM, O Set Left - 2016 (HawkeEye)

Fifty-one years is a significant time span and something we need to look at in more detail.