1923-S VAM-1BD

Description

Cataloged as 1BD II1 - B2a (Shortened Wing Feather & Rays) with a rarity rating of I-2 R-5 (31-75 known examples), VAM-1BD of the 1923-S Peace Dollar documents a die over-polishing event on the reverse that shortened a prominent wing feather and reduced the length of surrounding rays. The top middle wing feather above ONE was over-polished, removing its end, while the rays below and above it were similarly shortened — all consequences of a Mint worker polishing the reverse die to remove clash marks, an intervention that went beyond surface cleaning and actually removed design metal from raised die elements. This over-polishing is a form of die variety that tells a specific story about Mint shop practice: when dies clashed and the resulting ghost images were deemed unacceptable, a worker would polish the die surface with an abrasive, and if the polishing was too aggressive, it removed not just the clash evidence but also portions of the intended design. The VAMWorld catalog notes that VAM-1BU was eliminated as identical to VAM-1BD, and plate photos originally assigned to VAM-1BU remain correct reference images for this variety — a consolidation that streamlines attribution by eliminating a redundant catalog entry. The 1923-S Peace Dollar had a mintage of 19,020,000 in 90% silver at 26.73 grams, struck at the San Francisco Mint. Anthony de Francisci's reverse eagle design features prominently spread wings above the word PEACE, and the top middle wing feather is a large, clearly defined design element whose truncation from over-polishing is detectable under moderate magnification. The R-5 rarity indicates scarce but obtainable status — collectors should examine 1923-S specimens for the characteristic shortened feather and reduced ray length above ONE.

External References