NGC Expands VAM Recognition to Include Hit List 40

Beginning January 3, 2011, NGC will expand its recognition of VAM varieties to include the Hit List 40. The acronym VAM stands for Van Allen Mallis and is derived from the names Leroy Van Allen and A. George Mallis, co-authors of the book that assigned variety numbers to the die marriages for Morgan and Peace Silver Dollars. The Hit List 40 is an extract of 40 of the more popular VAM varieties, as determined by series specialist Jeff Oxman. These are now added to those VAMs already highlighted in his previous books, The Top 100 Morgan Dollar Varieties (co-authored with Michael Fey) and The Hot 50 Morgan Dollar Varieties. All three categories of VAM varieties are now recognized by NGC under its VarietyPlus® attribution service.

VAMs are among the most popular of varieties with collectors, and the best ones are identified by NGC as belonging to the Top 100, Hot 50 or Hit List 40 entries. In addition, NGC will attribute all 1878 8-tailfeather and 7/8-tailfeather varieties under it VarietyPlus service. NGC does not recognize any other VAMs at this time.

To receive these variety attributions when submitting coins, submitters must check the VarietyPlus box on the NGC submission form and pay the attribution fee of $10 per coin, this being above the fee for grading. To have any of these varieties added to a coin already encapsulated by NGC, submitters can check the Special Designation box on the NGC submission form and indicate in each entry’s variety line the type of variety desired. If known, the actual VAM variety may be included on the form, but simply writing “VAM” in the variety field is sufficient to receive this service.