1923-S VAM-1AQ

Description

Discovered by John Vernieri in January 2007, the 1923-S VAM-1AQ displays a shallow long die gouge above the short ray to the right of the B in LIBERTY on the obverse. Die gouges are physical damage marks in the die surface that transfer as raised lines or marks on struck coins, and the positioning of this gouge — above a specific ray adjacent to a specific letter — provides a precise diagnostic reference for attribution. The obverse is classified as Type II die 1 paired with a B2a reverse, rated I-2 R-5 (estimated 13-30 known). The shallow depth of the gouge suggests a glancing contact rather than a deep impact, creating a subtle raised line on the coin's surface that requires careful examination to detect. The 1923-S Peace Dollar was produced at the San Francisco Mint in moderate quantities — the S-mint issue is less common than the Philadelphia production — and die gouge varieties from the San Francisco facility document the handling and maintenance conditions specific to that mint's operations. John Vernieri's 2007 discovery demonstrates the level of detail required in Peace Dollar attribution, where a single shallow gouge in a specific location relative to surrounding design elements is sufficient to identify a unique working die from among the many used during the year's production.

External References