1922-P VAM-5-2

Description

A sub-variety within the VAM-5 die marriage family for the 1922 Philadelphia Peace dollar, VAM-5-2 "Tripled Olive Leaves, Die Gouge G" documents two distinct diagnostics on a single die pairing. Cataloged as 5-2 II 1 · B2c (Tripled Olive Leaves, Die Gouge G) with die classification I-3 and rarity rating R-5 (estimated 30-75 known), this variety records tripled olive leaves on the reverse — indicating three distinguishable hub impressions on the leaf elements of the wreath — combined with a vertical die gouge positioned above and below the letter G of GOD on Anthony de Francisci's obverse. Philadelphia struck approximately 51.74 million Peace dollars in 1922, the highest single-date mintage in the series, and the enormous production volume generated the die consumption that makes extensive sub-variety documentation possible for this date. The tripled olive leaves diagnostic on the B2c reverse represents a more complex hub doubling event than simple doubling, requiring three separate hub-to-die impressions that each shifted slightly from the previous to produce three resolvable leaf images. The vertical die gouge above and below G in GOD on the obverse provides an independent confirmation point from an entirely different diagnostic category — a die preparation artifact rather than a hub doubling event. The I-3 die classification, one step above the more common I-2, indicates slightly greater variety significance within the VAM cataloging hierarchy. The VAMWorld attribution service cataloged this variety, and collectors should examine both the olive leaf detail on the lower reverse wreath and the area surrounding the G of GOD on the obverse under 15-20x magnification to confirm the dual diagnostics.

External References