Vam 122 Key New Instant

What is a VAM and why collectors care VAM stands for Van Allen–Mallis, the cataloging system used by professional numismatists to identify die varieties of Morgan and Peace silver dollars. Each VAM number denotes a specific pairing of obverse and reverse dies, or a recognizable die characteristic such as doubling, mintmark repunching, cud formation, or die clash. Collectors prize VAMs because die varieties tell a story about mint production, can be scarce relative to circulating coinage, and sometimes command premium prices when they’re dramatic, attractive, or rare.