1921-P VAM-1B3

Description

Discovered in 2018, this 1921 Philadelphia Morgan Dollar variety presents an unusually complex combination of die characteristics across both faces. VAM-1B3, classified IV 1 with the D1a reverse designation, documents vertical lines on Liberty's face, a scratched wing, gouges near ST, reverse file lines, and a pitted area around E and the left side of N in ONE — five distinct features converging on a single die pair. The reverse pitting manifests as raised dots created by corrosion pits in the die steel, indicating the die surface deteriorated through oxidation or chemical exposure. The 1921 Morgan Dollar holds a unique position as both the series' final year and its revival year — after a seventeen-year hiatus since 1904, Congress authorized new production under the Pittman Act. In 1921, dates were integrated into the master die rather than added individually to each working die, eliminating date position variations found in earlier Morgan Dollars. This master-die dating means all 1921 Philadelphia issues share identical date placement, and variety differentiation relies entirely on other die characteristics like those cataloged here.

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