1921-P Peace VAM-1AC

Description

Discovered by David Close in 2013 and documented through the VAMWorld attribution community, the 1921-P Peace VAM-1AC "Collar Clash Obverse" records collar clash reeding impressions visible on the rim above LIB of LIBERTY on Anthony de Francisci's iconic high-relief Peace dollar obverse. Cataloged as I1 - Aa (Collar Clash Obverse), this variety identifies a mechanical error where the collar — the retaining ring that imparts edge reeding to struck coins — contacted the obverse die face during a production malfunction, leaving the distinctive parallel line pattern of reeding spacing impressed into the die surface. The 1921 Peace dollar holds a unique position in the series as the only year struck in high relief, a design configuration that de Francisci originally envisioned but that proved mechanically challenging for mass production, leading to the switch to low relief beginning in 1922. Philadelphia produced approximately 1.01 million Peace dollars in 1921, the lowest mintage in the entire series, making any attributed variety on this date inherently significant due to the limited surviving population. Collar clashes occur when the collar mechanism fires at the wrong moment in the striking cycle, and the high-relief 1921 design — with its deeper die cavities requiring greater striking force — may have exacerbated the mechanical stresses that contribute to collar timing malfunctions. The die marker notation identifies diagonal polishing lines through the W of WE, providing a secondary diagnostic for confirming the correct working die independent of the collar clash evidence. The collar clash reeding marks above LIB appear as fine parallel indentations in the rim area where the die surface should be smooth, and their spacing matches the coin's edge reeding precisely. Collectors should examine the rim above LIB under 15x magnification, looking for the telltale parallel lines, then verify the diagonal polishing lines through W of WE to confirm this specific die.

External References