Features

Whether for your own use or when conversing with other Morgan Dollar collectors, knowing your way around the obverse and reverse of the coin is a must.

Knowing Your Way Around

The nomenclature used by specialists like VAM collectors dictates much of the existing definitions and even thinking about pursuing VAMs as a hobby will require in depth knowledge of the coin features.

 

While "nose" and "ear" and the like are pretty well given, or should be, other features are not so well identified.  Items like the order of numbering stars can be important when describing a coin.

 

On the reverse of the coin one of the most important features is knowing the the eagle's right wing is really the right wing, but on the left as you face the coin.  All other features are as viewed and right is right, left is left.

Morgan Dollar Standard Nomenclature

 

Morgans

The Mint

Statistics

Collecting

Features

Mint Marks

Mentoring

The Coin