1923-D VAM-1AB3

Description

Discovered in 2014, the 1923-D VAM-1AB3 Peace Dollar exhibits dramatic die breaks below OD, above B, and to the left of the 9 in the date — a constellation of fractures indicating a die in severe distress during its final production phase. The obverse is classified as II1 in the Van Allen-Mallis system, with the die showing a radial die crack running from the rim up the left side of the 9, connecting to a horizontal crack at the neck and displaying a displaced field break to the left of the 9 and the neck point. A displaced field break occurs when the die crack has progressed to the point where a section of the die face has shifted slightly, creating a visible step or displacement on the struck coin's surface. With an interest level of I-2 and rarity of R-6, this variety is scarce and represents an advanced die failure state that few specimens survive to document. The 1923-D Peace Dollar was Denver's contribution to a year when Peace Dollar production was split between Philadelphia and Denver, with Denver striking approximately 6.8 million pieces. Anthony de Francisci's high-relief design subjected dies to significant stress during striking, and the concentration of cracks around the date and neck area suggests that the die's structural integrity had been compromised by fatigue fractures radiating from the rim. VAM-1AB3 captures a die in its death throes, providing collectors with a dramatic example of how coinage dies progressively fail under the relentless demands of industrial production.

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