1922-D VAM-1R

Description

Cataloged as 1R II 1 B1a in the Van Allen-Mallis system, this 1922-D Peace Dollar carries the designation "Die Break Right of Y" and was discovered by David Close. The primary diagnostic is a die crack originating from the rim at the left of Y in LIBERTY, traveling through the top of the Y and continuing to the right where it reaches the rim and develops into a wide break. A "wide break" indicates the die fracture progressed beyond a simple crack — the separated section of die face shifted outward, creating a raised, often irregular mass of displaced metal on struck specimens. The catalog distinguishes this variety from VAM-1J by noting the crack through the top of Y runs higher than on that earlier listing, providing a measurable positional difference for attribution. Die class II 1 designates a normal obverse in first subclass, paired with reverse B1a. Anthony de Francisci's Peace Dollar design, featuring Liberty in a radiant crown on the obverse, places the word LIBERTY across the upper obverse where die cracks propagating from the rim frequently intersect its letters. The 1922-D Peace Dollar was produced at the Denver Mint during the series' highest-production year. No rarity or importance rating has been assigned to this variety.

External References