1923-S VAM-1

Description

Representing the normal die baseline for the 1923-S Peace Dollar, VAM-1 pairs a standard Obverse II 1 with Reverse B2a, establishing the reference combination from which all other 1923-S VAM varieties diverge. Cataloged as 1 II 1 - B2a (Normal Die) with rarity ratings of I-1 and R-1, this is among the most commonly encountered die combinations for the date — the R-1 designation indicating availability in quantities of 1,001 or more known specimens. The reverse carries a micro I S mint mark, a diagnostic detail that places this particular reverse die within the subset of 1923-S dies using the smaller of the available mint mark punches at San Francisco. Collector Leroy Van Allen noted that the 1AE early die state constitutes VAM-1, having no listable features that would distinguish it from the normal baseline, with a referenced coin from D.K. Close graded by PCGS under certificate number 363839 serving as an example specimen. Anthony de Francisci's Peace Dollar design, introduced in 1921 to commemorate the end of World War I, features a youthful Liberty portrait on the obverse and a perched bald eagle with olive branch on the reverse. The San Francisco Mint struck 19,020,000 Peace Dollars in 1923, making it a relatively high-mintage issue that remains accessible to collectors across all grade levels. As VAM-1, this variety serves the essential cataloging function of defining what constitutes "normal" for this date, against which all doubled dies, repunched dates, die breaks, and other anomalies are measured and classified.

External References