1922-S VAM-1L

Description

William Bland identified this die variety in September 2006, adding VAM-1L to the 1922 San Francisco Peace Dollar sub-variety catalog with a focus on polished reverse rays. Classified as II 1 B1a (Missing Portions of Reverse Rays) with rarity ratings of I-3 for interest and R-5 for scarcity, the reverse die designated B1a shows rays to the right of the olive leaves that have been polished, with missing portions of the ray at the right tip of the lower leaves. The third ray above ONE has been shortened away from the wing end due to polishing. This die polishing evidence documents Mint maintenance practices — personnel would file or polish working dies to remove clash marks, die cracks, or surface imperfections, and aggressive polishing could remove or thin design elements, particularly the fine rays of Anthony de Francisci's reverse design. San Francisco struck approximately 17.48 million Peace Dollars in 1922, and the polished ray features on VAM-1L indicate this die received active maintenance during its service life. The R-5 rarity rating suggests the polished die either saw limited use after maintenance or produced coins that were not widely preserved. The 1L suffix places this within the extensive sub-variety system where letter designations track die states and maintenance events.

External References