1922-P VAM-1P1

Description

Shallow vertical die gouges positioned well below the letter G in GOD on the obverse characterize VAM-1P1 of the 1922 Philadelphia Peace dollar. The "double die gouges" designation in the variety name refers to two parallel or adjacent gouges rather than a doubled die — a distinction important for collectors who might otherwise associate the word "double" with hub doubling. Cataloged as II1 - B1a with rarity R-6 (estimated 13 to 30 surviving pieces) and interest level I-2, this variety carries a scarcer rarity rating than the R-5 level typical of most minor Peace dollar die varieties, making it one of the more challenging 1922-P sub-varieties to locate. The location "well below G in GOD" places these gouges in the open field area of the obverse between the IN GOD WE TRUST motto and Liberty's portrait, where the smooth surface provides a clean backdrop against which shallow die anomalies can be detected under magnification. Philadelphia's record 1922 Peace dollar mintage of 51.7 million coins consumed enormous quantities of working dies, yet the R-6 rarity for VAM-1P1 suggests this particular obverse die had a short working life, producing relatively few coins before retirement. The VAM-1P1 designation uses the alphanumeric suffix format (P followed by 1) that accommodates varieties discovered after the basic single-letter suffix positions were filled. Anthony de Francisci's obverse design positions the G of GOD in the left field where the vertical gouges below it can be detected with a loupe of at least 7x magnification.

External References