1925-S VAM-7A

Description

Michael Foley discovered this 1925-S Peace Dollar die pair in 2019, with the variety cataloged as II 1 B2g (Doubled DO and Wing, Pitted Obverse Die) I-2 R-5. The obverse is the defining feature: raised dots and splotches cover all fields and appear on Liberty's face and neck, the result of extensive die rust that pitted the die surface between production runs. When moisture contacts an unused die, the steel surface oxidizes and develops pitting; these pits then appear as raised bumps on struck coins, creating the distinctive textured appearance seen here. A polishing line in the W of WE provides an additional attribution marker. The name references doubled DO and wing features, though the pitted obverse die condition is the most visually prominent characteristic. The reverse carries the B2g designation. The 1925-S Peace Dollar was struck at the San Francisco Mint with a mintage of approximately 1.61 million pieces — one of the lower production figures in the series, contributing to the date's overall scarcity. The R-5 rarity rating places surviving examples of this variety at approximately 13 to 30 known pieces. Anthony de Francisci's Peace Dollar design, with its high-relief Liberty head on the obverse, provides ample surface area for die rust pitting to manifest, and the combination of variety features with extensive die deterioration makes VAM-7A a distinctive entry in the 1925-S catalog.

External References