1923-S VAM-1BE

Description

Brian Raines' January 2010 discovery of the 1923-S VAM-1BE Peace Dollar documented a variety defined by shortened reverse rays at the tip of the eagle's left wing — where the sunburst rays extending beyond the wing appear truncated compared to full-length rays on normal dies. Die file lines visible on both obverse and reverse surfaces indicate abrasive maintenance that may have contributed to the ray shortening by removing die metal from the ray tips. Classified I-2 R-6, the rarity rating indicates moderate scarcity. Catalog history reflects several consolidations: VAM-1BV was eliminated as a duplicate of 1BE, and VAM-CF was eliminated as a late die state of 1BE, meaning both previously independent entries were absorbed into this single designation. These consolidations document the die's full progression from early through final state. San Francisco struck 19,020,000 Peace Dollars in 1923, the second year of the series. Raines' discovery, made 87 years after striking, extended the 1923-S catalog with a variety whose shortened rays offer a diagnostic visible at modest magnification. 1BE II1 - B2a (Shortened Reverse Rays, Die File Lines Obverse and Reverse) I-2 R-6 Obverse II1 - Die file lines in front of nose and forehead and below R in PLURIBUS in attempt to remove die clash marks.

External References