1924-P VAM-1AQ1

Description

Discovered in 2010 by Jason Henrichsen, VAM-1AQ1 catalogs a 1924 Philadelphia Peace dollar with extensive die file lines across both obverse and reverse. Classified II1 with die pair B2a and carrying an I-2 interest level with R-5 rarity, this variety reveals the hand-finishing techniques employed by Mint die-shop workers during the mid-1920s. On the obverse, die file lines appear on Liberty's face, neck, and surrounding fields — areas where a worker drew a fine file across the die surface to remove minor imperfections or polish marks. The reverse exhibits its own set of file lines in the fields, with a particularly notable pattern: swirled die file lines above the word ONE, where the filing motion followed a curved rather than linear path. These swirled lines distinguish VAM-1AQ1 from other die-file-line varieties in the 1924-P catalog, which may show straight-line patterns in the same area. The 1924 Philadelphia Peace dollar had a mintage of 11.8 million pieces, and the die pair that produced VAM-1AQ1 was one of many serviced through routine maintenance during the run. Henrichsen's 2010 discovery expanded the known catalog for a date that continues to yield new die marriages.

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