1935-P VAM-1B

Description

Larry Briggs documented this variety in October 2002 on what proved to be the final year of original Peace Dollar production. Classified as 1B III 1 B2a with an interest rating of I-2 and rarity of R-5, this Philadelphia Mint variety features a thin horizontal die scratch to the right of the middle olive leaves on the reverse. The 1935 Peace Dollar represents the last regular-issue coins in Anthony de Francisci's celebrated design before the series ended, with no Peace Dollars struck again until the controversial 1964-dated trial pieces that were ultimately melted. The designation later became 1B1 when a subsequent die state, 1B2, was identified on the same die, revealing the progression of its working life. The die scratch near the olive leaves provides the primary diagnostic for attribution, requiring magnification to distinguish from normal contact marks or bag damage. Peace Dollar collectors building a comprehensive VAM set for the terminal year of the series will find that 1935-P varieties carry added historical weight as products of the final die pairings prepared for a design that had graced American silver dollars since 1921. =1935-P VAM-1B Die Scratch to Right of Middle Olive Leaves= Discovered by Larry Briggs, October 2002.

External References